Basundhara Devi fast concludes with bathing ritual at Sundhara

The fast observed for the Hindu goddess Basundhara Devi, undertaken to wish for happiness, peace and prosperity, concluded on Wednesday morning with a bathing ritual at Kathmandu's Sundhara.

The Lumdhi Bhadrakali Mahila Samuha (Nisha Pucha) had organized the fast and puja on Tuesday, the day of Ashwin Krishna Tritiya, at the Sankata temple premises in Teabahal. This fast also has a tradition of being observed collectively at Basundhara and Swayambhu.

According to Guru Siddhimuni Bajracharya of Sablabahal, the ritual requires those observing the fast on Tritiya to gather at Sundhara on the morning of Chauthi and bathe. According to legend, when King Sudarshan became infatuated with his youngest queen and indulged in pleasure, a drought struck the kingdom. According to religious belief, it rained again after the eldest queen observed the fast for Basundhara Devi.

Ganesh Bahadur Maharjan, priest of the Bhadrakali temple, complained that since water still does not reach Sundhara even after post-earthquake reconstruction, people have had to carry water in buckets to bathe. According to him, there has been no result yet from requests made to the National Reconstruction Authority and other bodies.

In Lalitpur, this fast and puja were also held over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, at Surya Chandra Mahavihar, Mahapal. According to Gyanendra Shakya, vice-chair of the Mahapal Sudhar Samiti, this is also called Kattila Vrat or Dhalan. He said the tradition of this fast inspires rulers to be accountable to the people, and that according to the Nepal Sambat calendar, it is customarily observed on Yalagaa Tritiya.