Every year the Handigauma neighborhood of Kathmandu celebrates the famous Handigauma Jatra, on the day after Kojarat Poornima, the last day of Dashain festival. 

This year the annual Handigauma Jatra fell on Thursday. According to a folklore about the Jatra, once a queen in Kathmandu and her helper both got pregnant at the same time. During their pregnancy, the helper who was a devotee of Lord Narayan, decided to dedicate her time worshipping the lord. She also asked the queen to join her. The queen refused to do so, which made Lord Narayan angry and he went to Himalayas, cursing the queen that she won’t be able to give birth to her child. 

The queen’s helper gave birth to a child, while the queen was not able to deliver the baby even after 12 years of pregnancy. Seeing the queen in pain, the people of her country decided to search for Lord Narayan. They found him in the Himalayas and pleaded with him to relieve the queen from the curse. 

But Lord Narayan refused to do so. Then one of the countrymen pleaded with the lord that if he came to Handigauma and helped the woman, they would show a jatra that had never been happened before. 

In the jatra, there are three chariots pulled by locals that represent Bramha, Bishnu and Maheshwor, the trinity of gods according to Hindu mythology. The chariots are upside down unlike other jatras, with idols on top symbolizing the Himalayas and yellow flowers beneath them made of wax symbolizing the Mahabharat range. 

The three chariots take three rounds around Handigauma. The festival is celebrated with people playing instruments, dancing, eating, drinking and enjoying among themselves. 

Lord Narayana got happy on seeing the jatra and he abolished the curse which led to the birth of the baby after 12 years.