Gai Jatra, or "Cow Carnival," is a festival that takes place in Kathmandu every monsoon. The story goes like this: A queen loses her beloved child and falls into a depression. Her husband takes the help of a holy man, who promises her that if she can get a sesame seed from the home where there's never been a death, the child can be brought back to life. The procession goes through all the homes where there's been a death that year. The queen finally comes out of her grief when she realizes death is inevitable. Gai Jatra is also characterized by satire of governments and people in high places.  Sushma Joshi took these photos in 2010. These photos show a very small slice of what was going on in Kathmandu on that day. Enjoy!

A Nepali Émigré in Paris and Water were shown at the 3rd Annual Nepali Film Festival in Vancouver. A Nepali Emigre in Paris (2006, 4 min.) Director: Sushma Joshi A Nepali man flees political repression in Nepal in the late 1980s as the fight for democracy begins. After living in Paris for 20 years, he has had no reason to look back - until now, when both his loyalty and his love are torn between two sides. You can see the film on Utube here, by clicking on this link.