Hundreds of people, including family members of 343 people who died in the devastating 7.8 magnitude April 25 earthquake in Bhaktapur district, took part in a mass rally organised in memory of the departed souls on Wednesday.

As part of the week-long Gaijatra festival or the ‘cow festival’ celebrated by the Newari community inside Kathmandu Valley to remember their dead family members and share grievances through celebration, locals from Bhaktapur joined in the rally holding placards with pictures of their loved ones. Gaijatra festival started on Sunday and is celebrated with various functions throughout the week.

Ram Krishna Bohaju, 35, from Bhaktapur Ward-6, was among the hundreds of participants who experienced a similar loss. “I am here

holding placards with pictures of my mother, wife and daughter who died in the earthquake to show solidarity with hundreds of others who have gone through similar experiences,” he said. Over 4,000 people participated in the procession organised by Manviya Astha Nepal, an organisation working on providing humanitarian aid and support to families of the deceased in Bhaktapur.

The April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks killed 8,857 people across the country, leaving Bhaktapur as one of the worst-hit districts in terms of loss of human lives and property.