Christians worship the icons or statues of Christ, the Virgin and the saints, and Buddhists light candles before the images of the Enlightened Ones. In Nepal, however, they still worship a living goddess – Kumari Devi. The cult of her is considered a world unique, but still fits perfectly into the rich pantheon of Eastern deities. In Nepal, goddess casting is regularly held among little girls. However, the life of the “chosen one from Above” is not easy at all.
Shakti
“Kumari” comes from the Sanskrit word “Kaumaria” – “virgin” and “Devi” means “goddess”. This tradition, dating back to the 10th century, is based on ancient beliefs. They come from the Hindu philosophical text Devi Mahatmya that the supreme goddess of Durga, who is believed to have manifested all creation from her womb, resides in the inner spaces of every woman, throughout the Cosmos.
People believe that the goddess Kumari carries the feminine energies called ‘shakti’. With them she can heal the sick, fulfill specific wishes, bless for protection and prosperity. Kumari Devi is believed to have the power to bridge the world of the living and the world of the divine. In Nepal, both Hindus and Buddhists sincerely believe that Kumari is an incarnation of the proto-goddess Durga (or Taleju). Even the kings in this part of the world were not allowed to take any action without the blessings of Kumari.
Backgammon
One of the legends about her appearance states that a villainous king slept with an underage girl. She died, and the ruler, in order to atone for his guilt, introduced the cult of virgin goddesses into the country. A more common legend about the cult of the living goddess states that one day King Jayaprakash was playing backgammon with the goddess Taleju and was about to seduce her. However, she discerned his impious thoughts, which violated her divine status. She became angry and disappeared from the mortal world, but announced that she would pass on her wisdom through a little girl who had never seen blood in her life.
Casting
Thus to this day casting is done for the goddess Kumari. Applicants are chosen from girls between 3 and 4 years old. The most valued are those children who have not lost their first milk tooth. The families of the future goddess must trace back at least three generations to the Bara jeweler caste of the Newari people. The child itself must be absolutely healthy and not have any scars or birthmarks on the body. Passed these requirements go to a careful study of the horoscope of the child. If it meets the special descriptions in the ancient books, the priests check whether the child meets 32 other requirements (tests). Some of them are quite shocking.
Trials
The little girl has only to enter a half-dark room, in which are scattered the freshly severed heads of buffaloes and rams, bleeding and barely illuminated by lanterns. A true Kumari should not show any fear. Then she has to spend the night in a temple among statues of dragons and snakes, again without showing the slightest sign of fear. If he goes through this nightmare as well, the little girl will have to choose items that belonged to the previous Kumari among many items placed before him.
Rituals
Becoming a Kumari is a great honor for the child’s family, but at the same time – a burden and a responsibility. When the new goddess is chosen, elaborate daily rituals begin to uphold her divinity. She should not step on the ground and use only special “clean” foods. Every day, the little girl is given a very complicated make-up. She does not socialize with anyone except the servants, priests, her own family, and sometimes a few well-chosen peers with whom she plays tame games. A Kumari cannot go outside unless there is a festival. Even then, her feet should not touch the wrong ground. The baby girl must be carried in the arms or on a palanquin (ceremonial litter for crowned persons). The aim is to protect her from accidental injury. Because if she sees her own blood, she will have to be dethroned as a goddess.
She appears at the window of her palace in Kathmandu every day at 11 a.m. and blesses her devotees with special healing mantras taught to her by dedicated sages. The rest of the time no one should see her, not even photograph her when she blesses. With the onset of puberty, the living goddess leaves the palace to make way for the next Kumari.
They raised the issue of children’s rights
However, the foundations of the centuries-old Nepalese tradition have been seriously shaken recently.
The dramatic political events that shook Nepal to its foundations between 1997 and 2007 and transformed the country from an almost medieval monarchy into a modern federal republic did not escape the ancient rules of Kumari life. In 2020, the Supreme Court upheld a plea by child rights groups that loosened the harsh regime of the “living goddesses,” which deprived them of a normal childhood and turned their palace in Kathmandu into their prison. The court ruled that Kumari should enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The goddess will be able to go to school, travel without restrictions and use health services.
Life after the palace turns out to be a nightmare
After leaving her palace, a former Kumari finds it terribly difficult to adjust to normal life. She has to go to school without having the slightest idea how to communicate with her peers, take care of herself. The girl Rashmila is the first of the former Kumaris who managed to get an education and work as a programmer. The rest are barely learning to read.
“It was terribly difficult for me to master the most ordinary household activities. I hated the “foreign people” – my own family, with whom I had to live, I hated my home, which was very different from the palace. I didn’t know how to dress myself, how to go out on the street. At the age of 13, I started first grade with my 5-year-old brother and I didn’t understand a thing. I was not good at any subject, I didn’t even know the alphabet. It was difficult for me, but I defeated the Kumari in me”, the former goddess is proud.
Whoever marries an ex dies soon
There are currently nine former living goddesses living in Nepal. The oldest of them, Dill, is more than 90 years old. However, there is a belief that whoever marries such a girl will soon die. However, Dill is an exception – she has children and grandchildren and her husband is alive at the same advanced age. In her home, however, it is in a room that no one else enters. There, under her portrait from 80 years ago, she repeats the secret mantras learned in the temple. And when one of the granddaughters asks her what she learned while being a goddess, Dil answers with just one word, “Patience.”
