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Kumari

Living Goddess of Nepal

Kumari is a prepubescent girl of 32 characters (likewise Lord Buddha, King Chakreshwar) as the manifestation of Goddess Taleju in Kathmandu Durbar Square, called the Living Goddess of Nepal. The Goddess represents Ugratara, Bajra Devi, Durga, and Saraswati in Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism with Hinduism tradition.

Kumari founded in Bhaktapur, Patan, Bungamati and Nuwakot. Guthi (government trust fund) selects three-year-old Buddhist Sakya girls within 18 Mahabihars by a Taleju priest. She wears traditional clothes, tika, garland and ornament. Only Chitaidar prepares her food served on a silver plate during the festival. She eats rice and vegetables besides chicken meat and egg. She plays carrom board and badminton with her friends. 

Trishna Shakya (3 years old) is the present Kumari elected on 28 September 2017. Goddess Kumari and God Red Machchindranath were established (7th century) in Bungamati village. King Harisingha Deva established the Goddess Taleju in Bhaktapur (1381 BS). The last Malla King, Jaya Prakash Malla, launched the Kumari house (BS 1813 Falgun-1814 Bhadra) in Kathmandu to prevent King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The Goddess selects on the ninth day of the Dashain festival in October and November. Guthi has fixed 32 characters to be a Kumari, such as full of teeth, fearless, manner of cry, laughing, black hair, nails, bright eyes, eyebrows, wheat-white, without body marks. 

The royal priest used to match the Kumari horoscope with the Nepal King before 2008. The Living Goddess leaves Kumari Ghar 13 times a year for festivals, religious occasions, Ghode Jatra, Indra Jatra (4 times) and Machhendranath Jatra. At the Indra Jatra festival, the President, Prime Minister and foreign diplomats visit her for the blessing of Tika (red dot). Guthi coordinates her study, treatment and friends. Daily, she takes a ritual bath, worships, studies (12 to 4 p.m.), plays, dresses up, and eats on a specific plate. Kumari is a member of the Eight Mother Goddesses with the symbols of Devi, female power and creation. A power-worshipping history dates back to the age of civilization. The Shah Dynasty also continued the tradition. The family deity of Malla King, Taleju, used to play dice in a secret room advising the King's regime. Once, King lost his patience with the beautiful Goddess Taleju. It is believed a family member saw Taleju once, and then she disappeared. The King was frightened and dreamt that Goddess Taleju would never meet him again, advised to select a prepubescent girl as her manifestation.

Kumari Temple is beautiful with its architecture with excellent woodcarvings on tympanums, windows, struts, pillars and doors. The courtyard of Kumari Bahal has a Star of David, a replica of Swayambhunath Stupa, Sri Yantra Mandala. Outside the temple, it can observe a Peacock Window, golden window, and chariot. Photograph of Kathmandu Kumari is prohibited. Tourists can glimpse her for 30 seconds from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. if she is not busy. A small donation is appreciated. Her postcard sells at the door.