Seeing Kumari - The Living Goddess

The day we were in the Garden of Dreams in Kathmandu, we got chatting to a young English girl who was doing some Teaching here before going back to University in England. She told us that there was a big festival on - The Kumari or the Living Goddess only comes out in public 3 times a year. Sunday was going to be one of theses days and it’s really quite an occasion here. So we thought we’d better check it out. We did a bit of research first and this is what we found out: Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is the tradition of worshipping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Indian subcontinental countries. Kumari literally means virgin in Nepali In Nepal a Kumari is a prepubescent girl selected from the Shakya clan of the Nepalese Newari community. The Kumari is revered and worshiped by some of the country's Hindus as well as the Nepali Buddhists While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, and she lives in the Kumari Ghar, a palace in the centre of the city. The selection process for her is especially rigorous. The current Royal Kumari, Matina Shakya, aged four, was installed in October 2008 by the Maoist government that replaced the monarchy. Chanira Bajracharya, as the Kumari of Patan is the second most important living goddess. A Kumari is believed to be the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju until she reaches puberty, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury are also causes for her to revert to common status So we grabbed a rikshaw and headed down to Durbar Square not too far from where we were. We arrived at 1.45pm (as we’d been told she came out in the afternoon)and were told she would come out at 2.00. Perfect timing. We bought our tickets - 300 rp each (£3) and walked into the square. The crowd was being segregated into Nepali Men, Nepali Women, and tourists. We took a place on one of the temples in the square and prepared for the short wait. We waited and we waited and we waited. The crowds gathered stronger and more and more V.I.P.s arrived. Then a big cheer went up as the new Prime Minister arrived. The day we arrived in Kathmandu he had just been announced as the winner of the elections and everyone was listening to his speech. Times like this can be unsettling in some countries - especially after the troubled history Nepal has had in the last 10 years, but everyone likes this man and he seems to be a good man so everything is buoyant here at the moment. So as we waited for all these VIPs to roll up, we took in the crowds and the beautiful clothes the ladies wear here. If you look at our photos you will understand what we mean. Whilst the band was playing and elephants, red devils and demons were dancing around the square, Jody noticed in the window of the Kumari Ghar, that 2 of the Kumari were watching the crowds. These girls are only about 7 years old now and they must have found it quite daunting. Well thanks to the zoom lens on Jody’s camera we were able to get some good photos of her. 2 1/2 hours later, yes 2 1/2 hours in the heat of the day we waited! The Kumari finally came out in their carriages. They were then they were gone. Literally only 5 minutes and they had disappeared again! Was it worth the wait? Definitely...!