US EditionNepal Installs 2-Year-Old Aryatara Shakya as New Kumari During Dashain
Aryatara Shakya, chosen for her flawless traits and astrological match, will serve as Nepal’s living goddess until puberty, a role blending Hindu and Buddhist traditions.
- Aryatara Shakya, a 2-year-old girl, has been named as Nepal's new living goddess, or Kumari, during the Dashain festival, continuing a centuries-old tradition.
- The selection of Kumaris occurs between ages 2 and 4, with criteria including unblemished skin and lack of fear of the dark, following the cultural practices of the Newar community.
- The new Kumari will bless devotees, including the president, on Thursday, enhancing her role as a significant religious figure in Nepal.
130 Articles
130 Articles
She was only two years old and already Nepal worships her like a goddess. ...
A two-year-old girl was chosen this Tuesday as Nepal's new kumari, the living goddess venerated by Hindus and Buddhists in this Asian country for half a century, marking the beginning of her ceremonial confinement and the divine role she will maintain until reaching puberty.
A thousand-year-old tradition that holds a destiny apart from these little girls.
Two years and eight months old, Aryatara Shakya replaced the previous kumari, who after puberty loses her status as a living goddess and becomes an ordinary mortal.
Kumari is venerated by Buddhists and Hindus, but only until puberty: it is a highly criticized tradition
Every year in Nepal, during the Indra Jatra festival, a young girl is chosen to be a "Kumari," meaning living goddess. This year, Aryatara Shakya, 2 years and 8 months old, has been chosen as the new Kumari. She will replace the previous goddess, who is considered a normal human being upon reaching puberty.
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