Gai Jatra & Halloween

My first Halloween experience gave me an impression of ‘Gai Jatra’. Although I had absolutely no idea what Halloween was, I assumed that it must have similar concepts to that of Gai Jatra. After researching about Halloween, three years after my first Halloween, I found that I was fairly correct.

According to the folklores that I have heard Gai Jatra was started by King Pratap Malla to bring back smile to his wife who was grief stricken by their son’s death. The king ordered everyone whose beloved have died in recent past to appear in a procession so the queen can see there is suffering elsewhere too. Since then it became a tradition, every family who has lost a relative during the past year participate in a parade escorting a cow; cow being holy in Hindu culture and believed to ensure the deceased path to heaven. With time, there was humor added to the tradition.

Halloween dates back to 5th centaury Celtic Ireland where three days celebration of New Year, known as Samhain, on October 31 when it was believed that the souls of the dead walked among the living in search of a person or animal to inhabit during the next year. So people tried dressing up as dead to fool the spirit. Halloween came to North America in the 1840s via Irish immigrants. The tradition continued with the addition of humor. So I guess we could say Halloween and Gai Jatra are similar if not the same, both involve dead as well as humor.

Last Saturday I had to attend a Halloween party where costume was a must. Although I don’t necessarily had to be scary, I was told to dress up something that I am not. Well, there could be many things that I am not, like a Superman, Spiderman etcetera but I did not feel like spending money for a costume which I am going to wear once a year. So I decided to be someone with what I have. I had a pathan dress, a camouflaged jacket, so I thought if I could get my self a turban and a gun I could look like a Afghan warrior. So I went to the Wal-Mart purchased a meter of cheap cloth for $1 and a toy gun for $6. After I dressed up, then I realized I looked like “guess who”. When I drove to the party place, I found the street but was not sure about the house and those party people inside were in no mood to pick up my call. I didn’t have the guts to walk up to the possible houses to inquire with that sort of dress. Then I saw a colleague of mine park to a house and then I followed him in. I was late to the party because I couldn’t tie up my turban, so all the invitees were already present. As soon as I walked in there was a hush, after brief silence the party was on again. As suspected I was presented as “guess who”.

After the party was over, I was quick to take off the turban and my camouflaged jacket. Even though I prepared myself a creative costume for less money, I will never forget the unease I went through when locating the party house. I promised myself that next year I will be wearing a less sensitive costume despite its cost.