Kumari, who is considered a living goddess, observed the horse festival, popularly known as Ghode Jatra, in the federal capital today.
Kumari observed the festival from the top floor of the Nepal Airlines building located west of Tundikhel. Earlier, a horse was sent to the Kumari's residence to bring her. There is a tradition of Kumari observing the horse festival.
The traditional horse festival is celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley on the day of Chaitra Krishna Aunsi.
A legend has it that, a demon called Gurumapa, who resided in a tree in the east-south direction of Tundikhel, used to eat the children of the city. Though the locals killed him, many still fear that his spirit might awaken again and harm the children.
That's how the festival Ghode Jatra began to mark the victory over the ferocious creature with an insatiable hunger for human flesh.
It is believed that the annual trampling of horses on the day of Chaitra Krishna Aunsi keeps the spirit of the demon—familiarly known as 'Tundi'—at bay, preventing him from rising again.
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