Two-and-a-Half-Year-Old Girl Chosen as Living Goddess of Nepal

A two-and-a-half-year-old girl, Aryatara Shakya, has been formally announced and ritually seated as the new Kumari (Living Goddess) of Kathmandu, Nepal, in a special ceremony held at the Kumari Ghar (House of the Living Goddess).

The new Kumari, a resident of Itumbahal, was escorted with traditional musical processions and sacred pujas (worship rituals) before being installed on her throne, officially taking on her significant royal and religious responsibilities. She is revered by both Hindu and Buddhist devotees as the symbolic manifestation of Goddess Taleju Bhawani.

As the Living Goddess, Aryatara Shakya will participate in various religious activities, including leading processions during major festivals like Indra Jatra and Navaratri. She will also grant darshan (audience) to the public at designated times.

Gautam Shakya, coordinator of the Kumari Ghar Management Committee, confirmed the young girl’s role, noting that the Kumari is also viewed as a symbol of Goddess Mahalakshmi. The committee is responsible for providing all necessary services, including food and accommodation, for the Goddess at the Kumari Ghar in Basantapur.

The selection of Aryatara was carried out according to a stringent traditional process, involving consultation with the Guthi Sansthan (Trust Corporation), the Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti (Calendar Determination Committee), and other concerned parties. The procedure began with an invitation to relevant traditional courtyards (bahals) to recommend potential candidates.

The ceremony also included a special worship ritual and farewell for the outgoing Kumari, Trishna Shakya. The tradition of the Living Goddess is historically credited to King Jaya Prakash Malla. A significant ritual in the tradition sees the Head of State visiting the Kumari for blessings on Kojagrat Purnima, the final day of the Dashain festival.

The Kumari, or Living Goddess, is a deeply rooted tradition in Nepal and parts of India that involves the worship of a specifically chosen, prepubescent virgin girl as a manifestation of the divine female energy, or Shakti. This Living Goddess is believed to be possessed by the deity Taleju or Durga.

To be eligible, the girl must be selected from the Shakya clan of the Nepali Newari Buddhist community. Her term of divinity lasts until she experiences her first menstruation, a severe illness, or a major injury involving blood loss, which are all believed to signal that the deity has vacated her body. The word Kumari itself is derived from the Sanskrit word for “princess,” and the tradition is celebrated publicly during the Kumari Jatra, which follows the Indra Jatra religious festival.

The Kumari tradition is most prominent in the Kathmandu Valley, where it is practiced in cities like Kathmandu, Lalitpur (Patan), and Bhaktapur. While there are several regional Kumaris, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, who lives in the Kumari Ghar palace.

The philosophical basis for this worship is the belief that divine consciousness pervades all creation; thus, venerating a human represents the recognition of the supreme goddess within conscious beings, as the goddess is said in the Devi Mahatmyam to reside in all female living beings. A young girl is chosen over a mature woman because of her inherent purity and chastity.

The formal veneration of a living Kumari in Nepal dates back to the 17th century, though the practice of virgin worship (Kumari-Puja) is much older. Legends often credit King Jayaprakash Malla of the Malla Dynasty with establishing the current tradition after he angered the goddess Taleju. She subsequently agreed to appear to him only if he could find her incarnated as a young girl within the Shakya community.

The process of finding a successor is famously rigorous, historically involving priests, astrologers, and now government representatives. A candidate must meet strict health criteria, be without blemish, and possess the “thirty-two perfections” (battis lakshanas)—poetically described physical traits.

The most extreme test of a candidate’s worthiness occurs during the Hindu festival of Dashain on the Kalaratri or “black night.” The girl is placed in a courtyard of the Taleju temple, where the severed heads of sacrificed buffaloes and goats are illuminated by candlelight. If she truly possesses the goddess’s qualities, she will show no fear.

The final test involves picking out the personal belongings of the previous Kumari, confirming her as the chosen one. Once installed, the life of the Royal Kumari changes completely: she leaves the Kumari Ghar only for ceremonial occasions, is always dressed in red and gold, and her feet never touch the ground outside the palace, as she is carried everywhere.

Visitors seek an audience with her, watching her actions (like crying or remaining impassive) as a form of divine prediction of their fortune. While traditionally thought to be omniscient, modern Kumaris are now provided with education to prepare them for their eventual return to mortal life.