Nepal's Kumari Puja: Living Goddess Tradition Explained

When girls become goddesses: Inside Nepal's sacred Kumari Puja tradition

Kathmandu, September 24

Amid the rain, the young girls, known locally as "Kanyas", took part in the annual Kumari Puja, a ceremony believed to bring good fortune, ward off bad luck and protect against diseases.

The ritual is performed in front of the Taleju Bhawani Temple, a revered site whose doors open to devotees for only one day during Dashain. Taleju Bhawani is regarded as the earthly manifestation of divine feminine energy and is closely associated with Nepal's tradition of worshipping the Kumari, or living goddess.

During the ceremony, the girls are taken around the Taleju Bhawani Temple, whose face remains hidden from public view and has, according to tradition, remained so for centuries.

The worship combines elements of Hinduism, Buddhism and Tantrism. It is believed that the girls who participate in the annual ritual will remain free from health problems.

The Kumari tradition itself is one of Nepal's distinctive religious practices. A young Newar girl is selected at intervals through a strict process to represent Goddess Kumari, regarded as an incarnation of Goddess Taleju, the tutelary deity of the Malla and Shah dynasties.

Candidates are chosen from the Shakya caste among the Newars, with some as young as four years old. The selection process is highly demanding, and the girl chosen must remain calm and show no signs of fear during the tests.

Once selected, the Kumari moves into the Kumari Ghar, or Kumari's House. Her feet must never touch the ground, and she leaves the residence only on certain festival occasions.

Her status as the Living Goddess continues until she experiences any form of bleeding, which usually occurs when she reaches puberty.

The Kumari is worshipped with deep reverence, a tradition that dates back to the 17th century and was institutionalised during the Malla era.

The Shah rulers, who later replaced the Malla dynasty, continued the practice of revering the Kumari. Until 2008, the Shah King would visit the Kumari to receive tika on his forehead, a ritual symbolising the empowerment of the monarch.

The origins of the tradition are rooted in a centuries-old legend involving King Jaya Prakash Malla and Goddess Taleju.

According to the legend, the king was playing a game with Taleju, who had appeared before him in human form. While under the influence of alcohol, the king began lusting after her.

Offended by his behaviour, the goddess ordered the king to take an oath that he would select a virgin girl within whom she would always reside. The tradition, according to the legend, has continued ever since.

Although the Malla dynasty was eventually ousted by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the practice of revering the Kumari survived under the new rulers.

Today, the annual Kumari Puja brings the tradition into public view once again, as young girls dressed as divine figures are taken through the rituals at one of Nepal's most historic religious sites.

— ANI