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Gai Jatra



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!

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