, where the locals believe she was born. During the annual spring festival of
Mahalaxmi in
Lubhu, a woman is chosen as a surrogate for Ganga Rani, locally referred as
bhasare (
Nepal Bhasa: भसारे), who formally starts the festival. Ganga Rani is highly eulogized in the local
folklore of
Bhaktapur and
Thimi, more so than any other ruler. Historian Purushottam Shrestha theorizes that the folklore of
Tulā Rāni (
Nepal Bhasa: ) was inspired by Ganga Rani. According to the local folklore, Tula Rani was a queen of
Bhaktapur during the
Licchavi Dynasty who only weighed 11 grams (or one tola) and therefore could walk on water. Tula Rani is believed to have created a
canal that brought water to the city's
hiti system, the latter of which she built one in each of the city's district. Ganga Rani and her husband
Vishva Malla is credited with improving the annual spring festival of
Biska Jatra, including introducing the chariot festival of
Bhairava and his consort
Bhadrakali in
Bhaktapur. ==References==