Kathmandu – Nepal observes Gai Jatra today, a traditional festival commemorating loved ones who have died during the past year. The festival, deeply rooted in Newar culture, offers bereaved families a way to remember the departed and find strength in the community.
This year’s observance comes amid deep national grief following the devastating Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi floods, which claimed hundreds of lives and left many people missing. Nepalese citizens as well as foreign nationals remain unaccounted for as search and rescue operations continue.
For many families, this year’s Gai Jatra carries an especially painful meaning—as they remember those lost, while others continue to hope and pray for the safe return of missing loved ones.
Photo: Sunil Sharma/ Rabin Maharjan
