Dear MEL Topic Readers,
2-year-old girl chosen in Nepal as new living goddess worshipped by
both Hindus and Buddhists
In Nepal, by tradition, Kumaris are virgin girls chosen as the Living Goddess.
They are revered by both Hindus and Buddhists and are selected between the ages
of two and four and serve their roles until they reach puberty. The best known is
the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, the capital city. Last month, a two-year-old
girl was chosen as the new Royal Kumari. She will live a sequestered life with a
few selected playmates and private tutors in her palace most of the time. Even her
family is allowed to visit her rarely in a formal capacity. She is dressed in bright
red clothes and a red blouse with gold and silver ornaments, and is carried or
transported in her golden palanquin because her feet are sacred. When she is
replaced by a new Kumari years later, she will leave the palace and start adjusting
to normal life, including house chores and attending school. She will receive a small monthly pension after
retirement, but living a normal life after years of seclusion in an isolated
environment seems quite challenging for a teenage girl.
Read the article and learn about sacred girls in Nepal.
No comments:
Post a Comment