Balkumari

Once the goddess Balkumari, angered, spread a terrible epidemic of diarrhoea and cholera in the Patan area. After hundreds of people began to die, a Siddha tantric was called to stop the epidemic.

The tantric coaxed Balkumari and said: "People are angry with us. Let us both go into hiding beneath the ground for some time."

The tantric dug a deep pit in the ground. He used an iron chain to bind Balkumari, and for binding his own body he made a false rope of flour.

When they leapt into the pit, the flour rope easily snapped, and the tantric immediately climbed out and filled in the pit. But Balkumari, bound by the iron chain, remained fixed beneath the ground.

Once confined beneath the ground, the goddess's anger was appeased and the epidemic stopped at once. Later, a temple to 'Balkumari' was established on that very spot, where special worship is offered for the protection of children's health and the warding off of epidemics.