Jezebel: Kumari

Living Goddess Gets Raise

Sadie Stein — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:40:00 EDT

Nepal has increased the monthly stipend it gives its "living goddess," or Kumari Devi, believed to be the bodily incarnation of the deity Taleju, in accordance with inflation. 5-year-old Matina Shakya will now receive 7,500 rupees. [Reuters] More »

I Second That Emotion

Anna Holmes — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:10:00 EDT

[Hyderabad, August 3. Image via Getty]

The Living Goddesses

Anna Holmes — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:10:00 EDT

[Kathmandu, May 29. Image via Getty]

Goddess Bless

Sadie Stein — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:20:00 EDT

3-year-old Matani Shakya is a newly chosen "kumari," or living incarnation of the deity Talej, worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists in her native Nepal. Although it sounds pretty rad, in fact the life of a child divinity is such a rough one that some say the practice violates child welfare laws. The goddesses, chosen between the ages of 2 and 4 and all members of the poor Shakya goldsmith caste, are selected after judges examine their horoscopes, confirm that they are free of physical imperfections, and can withstand a night alone "among the heads of ritually slaughtered goats and buffaloes" without getting scared. The children are then taken to a kumari house in Katmandu to live in near-isolation until puberty (when their divinity ends) and wheeled in a chariot pulled by followers during religious festivals. Apparently the transition back to normal life can be a difficult one and, since it is commonly believed that marrying a former kumari results in early death for the husbands, many of the girls face difficult and lonely lives. [Yahoo] More »

The Goddess Lifestyle

Maria — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:40:00 EDT

Remember how religious authorities in Nepal were looking for a new "living goddess"? Now Nepal's Supreme Court has ordered the government to ensure health care and education for the young female goddesses, or kumaris, after the girls are forced to retire their position once they reach puberty. Critics claim that goddess life can be hard on the children, who are kept in temples from as young as 4-years-old and are worshiped by visitors. Nepal recently became a republic after lawmakers abolished the monarchy and now many cultural traditions are being challenged. [Reuters] More »