GAAI JATRA

Or the week-long cow festival. The day following Rishi Poornima or the first day of the “Lunar month” of Bhadra (August) is the main day of Gaai Jatra. Bereaved Hindu families send a cow or a man with a horn made of straw and his face painted to symbolically resemble a cow, to roam about in the streets in the belief that the gates of heaven will open only by the horns of sacred cows enabling the entry of the departed souls. The whole week of Gaai Jatra is dedicated to fun-making, satires and irony and all sorts of jokes. People form groups of clowns and caricaturists, and move about in the streets amusing onlookers, arousing curiosity and generally, mirth. They often criticise and make sharp comments on subjects of public interest by their sarcastic and jocular presentations. Even some newspapers and magazines bring out similar Gaai Jatra special editions for similar carry forward the tradition of jokes and satire. 
Another attraction of this festival is the masquerade. On this day (and also in the days that follow), many people dress up in the oddest possible robes and go round the city. Some of them are clad only in rags and some in straw and hay to make themselves look funny. A number of these showmen have their face painted to make themselves look like devils. According to a Hindu tradition these are regarded to represent the ghostly spirits lost and lamented and wandering around on their way to the world of the dead. However, the Buddhist version of this masquerade is quite different. According to them, these masquerading ones are none other than the personification of the Maras or the devils of temptations who were set to disrupt the deep meditation of Lord Gautam Buddha. 
Thus Gai jatra seems to have many interesting insights to offer for festival watchers. Very often rich families organize dramatic recitation of Ramayana in the streets by hiring renowned artists and  musicians on this day.