The Price of Divinity: Impact of Kumari Worship on Nepalese Girls Selected as Living Goddesses

As a country with the highest percentage of Hindus in the world, Nepal holds many religious practices that are of great importance to the nation and its people. One of them is revering the living goddess. Known as the Kumari, the living goddess of Nepal is a prepubescent girl who is worshiped as the living incarnation of the goddess Taleju. Kumari worship dates back to 877 on the Newari calendar (1757 AD) (Osborne). Numerous legends describe the origin of Kumari worship, but most of them have to do with a dice-game story between the Nepalese King and his protective goddess, Taleju Bhawani. The common story is that the king used to maintain a close connection with Taleju and play games of cards until the King developed lustful desires. The angry Taleju disappeared, leaving a message in the king’s dream that she would inhabit the body of a young pre-pubescent girl from the Shayka clan for the king and citizens to worship (Maharjan).

Zimo Lyu

November 19, 2024

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