The living Goddess
by Zareen Myles
I am in the "Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square" a UNESCO recognized heritage site, in the center of Kathmandu, standing in front of "Kumari Ghar".
This is the home of the legendary "Living Goddess", who is considered to be the incarnation of Goddess Taleju. It is a three storied house built like a quadrangle with a small central square. It has the most exquisite and lavishly carved woodwork, and it is just not possible to describe the fine jalli work.
The "Kumari" or the "Goddess" lives in the third story of the house with the priest and his family to look after her. Every morning between 10a.m. and 12 p.m. she comes to one of the windows to give her blessings to the devotees waiting to see her. Unfortunately foreigners are not allowed to see her face, and no one can take photographs. But there is no restriction on visiting the little courtyard at other times, to admire the woodwork and see the windows. As I stood there in the little courtyard looking up at the windows where the Kumari peeps out, I wondered what did this little child feel, did she even understand that she was an object of veneration? Her childhood was lost forever. She could not be with her natural family, she could not play with other children her age, she could not run free in the open air, under the clear sky.
The Kumari tradition was started in the 17th century by King Jaya Prakash Malla. Legend has it that the king used to play dice every evening in the temple of Goddess Taleju. Only her hands were visible from behind the curtain. One day as the king played he looked at her delicate and beautiful hands, and felt how much more beautiful and desirable she would be. He started lusting after her, and the Goddess immediately perceiving his thoughts became very angry and left the place. Now the king realized what he had done and repented, and asked the Goddess to forgive him and come back to the temple. Finally relenting, the Goddess appeared in his dream and told him that from now on she would only be worshipped as a little girl. She gave him the criteria on how to choose this child in whose body she would then come, to be the Living Goddess or Kumari Devi. She also told him that once the girl reached puberty, a new girl would have to be installed in her place.
The selection of the Kumari, for worship as the Living Goddess is an elaborate affair. According to the tradition only girls in the age-group of 4-6 years, who belong to the Sakya community, of the Newaries, can be selected.
The girls have to fulfill the criteria of thirty two special physical traits such as shape of face, eyes, voice, body etc. The horoscope of the girl has to also match the horoscope of the reigning King of the time.
Once selected the little girl is then taken to meet the deities in a dark room, where terrifying tantrik rituals are performed, with men wearing scary masks and dancing around her all night in the dark. The real goddess is one who stays calm and is not scared throughout these trials. Other Hindu-Buddhist rituals that follow finally determine the real Kumari.
After the ceremonies, the spirit of the goddess is said to enter her body. The ceremonies culminate in the blood sacrifice of 52 male bufallows and 52 male goats in the square of the Taleju Temple.
The new chosen inherits the royal clothing and priceless jewelry of her predecessor, and is now called Kumari Devi, the "living Goddess" and who is worshipped on all religious occasions. She leaves her home and family and now lives in the beautiful 'Kumari Ghar', at Kathmandu's Hanumandhoka palace square. For the duration of her reign as the Living Goddess, her feet will never touch the earth till she once again becomes human.
The Kumari's godhood comes to an end with her first menstruation, because it is believed that on reaching puberty the Kumari turns human. However, if she even cuts herself or hurts herself and any blood comes out , this too makes her human, and a new Kumari devi has to be found.
Every September, on the Indra Jatra festival, the Living Goddess, in all her bejeweled splendor is taken out on a "rath" in a religious procession through different parts of the city. It is a grand carnival, a time of festivity when people come out in thousands, to see the living goddess and seek her blessings. In keeping with an old tradition, the Kumari also blesses the King of Nepal during this festival, who comes to offer prayers once a year at this time. There is a belief that if the Kumari does not bless him he will die before the year is out.
What happens to the Living Goddess once she turns human at puberty? These days the Government of Nepal gives her a special monthly allowance for her upkeep, and she is also given a house. In earlier times the Kumaries went back to their homes. They generally never married, as men were afraid of the superstition that anyone who married the Kumari would die within six months. It was often a lonely life, and I thought a very big price to pay for being the Living Goddess for those few years. She lost her childhood, she would invariably loose her youth and old age too.
The Kumari Ghar is in the middle of the busy square, with people everywhere, little shops and a place full of life. Yet inside the Kumari Ghar the little girl would know nothing of this. Saddened by this thought I stepped out of the courtyard door, right into the crowds all around.
