At the Bhoto Jatra festival (see my last post) I was lucky enough to see the Royal Kumari, or living goddess, although I use the work “lucky” with a slight cringe.
There are many Kumaris found in India and Nepal, but the most famous one is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu. She is a young girl who is believed to be the bodily incarnation of Durga, the goddess of the feminine, more or less. A young girl (as in around 5 years old) is chosen and tested to see if she is the next Kumari. Once accepted as the Kumari, she lives in the Kumari Ghar (home) in Kathmandu until puberty. She is worshiped by the Newari people and some of the Nepali Buddhists.
The story of the Kumari is quite remarkable, and I encourage you to read the link provided above entitled “Royal Kumari”. She is tested by showing no fear amongst severed buffalo heads and people dancing wearing demon masks. There are attributes of appearance she must have, such as eyelashes of a cow and a body of a banyan tree. Once accepted, her feet will never touch the ground outside of the Kumari Ghar. Her feet are now holy, and people at the festival were touching them hoping to receive a blessing.
She normally can only be seen if she happens to walk by the windows at the Kumari Ghar. People stand in the courtyard hoping for a glance. On very few occasions (maybe three or four) does she come out of the Kumari Ghar in a year. That’s why I said I was “lucky”, especially to get within five feet of her as I did. I kind of “shimmied” past the police to get there. But I also cringe when I say “lucky”. Is it really lucky to see a seven-year-old girl outside on one of the few days she actually gets to go outside?
Such a happy looking child…
Wow! That is a great experience that you had. You should’ve called us…how did you find out that she was going to be out and where to find her?
I’m torn: On one hand, this is man trying to make sense of God’s stuff on man’s terms and in seemingly a very strange (Cow’s eyes) way.
On the other, perhaps they say the same thing about believing in a 2000 year old guy hanging from a cross.
Perhaps there is a back-story to both belief systems.
Mike, we do indeed have a lot to discuss when I get back
For now I’ll just say there is a lot of power in both “systems”.
Looks like, from reading other material about this idea, that having her be completely placid is the best result to get when you meet her. Laughter or tears in your presence is an omen of death.
Paul, that is interesting: Can you say more?
Hey. So, as I was doing some reading, I figured out that the girl we saw isn’t THE Living Goddess of the nation who lives in the Kumarighar palace. Apparently, the new LG was installed in October 2008, and she is four. Clearly the girl we saw isn’t four sooo I’m trying to figure her out since there are lots of them. I think she might be the girl Sapani Shakya from Bhaktapur because the local one is Matina Shakya. I don’t know…she’s a mystery!
Well there are a dozen or so of them throughout Nepal. Doing research now…
To the person who has written this post:
I’m from Kathmandu.
There is only one Kumari at a time.
The girl who is tested also should not have any scars or cuts in her body, ever.
Also, if a girl is pronounced Kumari, she cannot marry in her entire lifetime.
Kumaris are also only from the Newar Caste (A divion of caste in Nepal).
Sorry, but I forgot to add, the most important one:
The “other” Kumaris you read of, here and there, are the previous ones.
They keep changing, even if the old ones are still called Kumaris.
Bhagwati, I understand there is only one Kumari at a time. I was refering to the different Kumaris as the KTM Kumari and the Bhaktapur Kumari, ect.