KESH CHANDRA

 Dring the rule of King Bhaskar Dev in the MaIla Period lived a wealthy person named Kesh Chandra in Itum Bahal. It is said he was an avid gambler that caused him to lose all his wealth one day. When he went to his sister's  place to attend a feast he was served food on a golden plate that he took with him and wagered only to lose again. The next time he went to his sister's place, Kesh Chandra received his food on a silver plate. He gambled the silver plate as well and lost.When he visited his sister the a third time, Kesh Chandra got his y food on a plate fashioned out of 1, leaves. Realizing what he had n done to arrive in such situation e and angered by the way he was h treated, Kesh Chandra vowed it never to gamble again. As an act g of redemption, he set out on a 1, pilgrimage to Gosaikunda with a the food and the plate. Upon his d return, he visited the Kirtibhimukh o Temple in Pashupatinath and a offered the food on the same if plate to the deity. Exhausted by tl the long journey, Kesh Chandra :s fell asleep at the temple. He g awakened to find his offering if eaten by the pigeons and golden grains strewn on the ground. With the wealth he had been bestowed, Kesh Chandra dedicated his life g in social welfare. He built the Kesh Chandra Sanskaarita  Paraawarta monastery. t According to an ancient lore, a r monster named Gurumapa had helped Kesh Chandra bring the golden grains to 'tuna Bahal. For the service provided by Gurumapa he had demanded flesh of dead children. With the passing of time, the monster started eating children. It was Kesh Chandra who weaned off Gurumapa from his habit of devouring children by offering him roasted buffalo and rice in Tundhikhel on the night of Fagu Pumina festival every year. The tradition of offering buffalo meat and rice to Gurumpa on the day of Fagu Pumima is still practiced by many. There are various paintings (paubas) related to the story of Gurumapa and Kesh Chandra in the ItumBahal that are put on display in every Nepali month of Bhadra.