Kathmandu. The ‘Balaju Baisdhara’ (Lhuti Punhi) fair, which takes place every year on the full moon day of Chaitra Shukla Purnima, has kicked off in Balaju.

There is a belief that bathing in Baisdhara will bring merit to bathing in Muktinath and Gosaikunda. Chief of Balaju Baisdhara Park, Rabin Manandhar, said that arrangements have been made to flow water from all the 22 taps of Balaju in order to ease the devotees to take bath.

Buddhists and Hindus have come to attend the fair, he said. The Newar community also celebrates the birth of Goddess ‘Mannadi’ today. There is a belief that if women take bath in Baisdhara and worship Mannadi, their wishes will be fulfilled. Local elders believe that bathing in Balaju will prevent skin diseases.

King Jaya Prakash Malla of Kantipur had established 21 stone spouts in Balaju in Nepal Sambat 875 BS while King Rana Bahadur Shah had constructed another big pond in 1855 BS, Manandhar said.