( 157 ) Sa Paru / Gai Jatra

Experiences of Teaching Life

2072 Bhadra 13 Sunday

Sa Paru.” Sa Paru is a colloquialword of Nepal Bhasha, language spoken by Newar Community. “Sa” denotes ‘cow’, and “Paru”, means ‘jatra’ or ‘procession’. In English, the word means ‘cow festival,’ a carnival.  It is marked to pave pathway for the departed soul to the heaven. It is believed that Yamaraj, God of Death, opens the gate of heaven once a year- on Gaijatra. If someone passes away on this very day, they enter into the heaven on this same day; they need not wait for a long time. It falls in August-September, a day after Janai Purnima. The festival commemorates the death of people during the span of a year. Gaijatra came into existence from18th century. The Malla King of Kantipur, Pratap Malla initiated it.

Once King Pratap Malla’s son died. The queen remained dumbstruck. So the King wanted to see little smile on the lips of his sweetheart. He did all efforts to lessen the grief, but in vain. Then he announced publicly that someone who ever made the queen laugh would be rewarded adequately. People brought colorful processions, presented 

stage dramas full of humors and satires. They began ridiculing and befooling the prominent personalities of the society. It evoked laughter. The queen could not stop laughing. Hence, her grief lessened. From that very time, the King ensued a tradition of including jokes, satires, mockery and lampoon in the Gai Jatra days.

The Newar community with positive self-identity celebrates this festival in the Kathmandu valley and outside the valley such as Tansen, Baglung, Pokhara, Butwal, Dhanakutta, and Banepa where there is strong presence of Newars. 

A cow is adorned with red teeka, clothes, a crown and garlands. She is fed with good food. The cow is pulled along the route of the procession. In absence of a cow, a young boy dressed as a cow is considered a fair substitute. “The gai or cow is holy to Hindus. She represents Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and guides the souls of the departed to the gates of the Netherworld. According to Hinduism, “Whatever a man does in his life is a preparation to lead a good life, after death.