Sexual minorities organizes Pride Parade on Cow Festival

Blue Diamond Society, an organization dedicated to the cause of sexual minorities, organized Pride Parade and Pride Concert coinciding with centuries old Gaijatra festival or the Festival of Cow. The programme organized on Thursday with the support of the US Embassy, Kathmandu attracted hundreds of people from the LGBTIQ community of Nepal with thousands of spectators.

The pride parade began from Thamel, the tourist hub of Kathmandu and concluded at Tundikhel Open Ground with a live concert by the lesbian and gay community people wearing colourful dresses. The participants danced in tune with folk music and songs.

Gaijatra Festival is observed in Kathmandu valley to commemorate the death of near relatives. During the festival family members of those who passed away within a year send people mostly children dressed and decorated in a colourful way resembling as cows. People offer fruits, sweets, drinks and biscuits to those parading in the street dressed as cows on the day.

The occasion is observed usually to ease the pain of losing the near and dear ones. So, the children dressed colourful in a funny way go around the city pretending as cows. Cows are regarded as vehicle for the deceased ones to cross ocean of the world and be liberated from the bondage of life-death and rebirth as per Hindu mythology.