Did Pratap Malla really start Gaijatra in the 17th century? There’s no proof to say he did

Who started Gaijatra (also spelt as Gai Jatra), also known as the festival of cows, in Nepal? The answer to this question is simple for many people.

“It’s Pratap Malla , the 17th-century king of Kantipur,” is the usual retort. “When Pratap Malla’s son died at a young age, his wife mourned the demise of the young prince. To console her, Pratap Malla passed an edict calling on all city residents whose relatives had died in the year to dress as cows. He did this so that he could show the queen that it was not just the royal family that had lost a loved one.”