Gai Jatra (Cow Festival)
गाईजात्रा (सापारू)
August 29, 2026 · Shrawan 13, 2083 BS
Kathmandu Valley (especially Bhaktapur and Kathmandu)
Plan a trip around Gai Jatra (Cow Festival)History & origin
Tradition holds that a Kathmandu queen, grieving her son's death, smiled again only when the king staged a comic procession the following year to console her. Since then, families who've lost someone in the past year lead a cow — sacred to Yamaraj, lord of death — through the streets, believed to help the departed cross safely into the afterlife.
How it’s celebrated
Processions of cows, costumed children and satirical performers wind through Kathmandu and Bhaktapur's old quarters. Over time the day has also become an occasion for open political and social satire, with comedians, street performers and newspapers publishing pointed jokes that would be riskier the rest of the year.
Tips for visitors
The satirical processions and costumed street performances make this one of the more visually striking and approachable Newar festivals for visitors to watch.
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