Nepal is only a country in the world where a living goddess “Kumari is worshipped”. Kumari is worshipped as Taleju Bhawani for centuries. In the Shakta text Devi Mahatmyam or Chandi, the goddess is said to have declared that she stays in all females living beings in this universe. Hindus worship Kumari as Bhawani whereas Buddhists worship as Bajradevi. Though the Kumari is Buddhist by birth, the taleju Bhawani is a supreme Hindu goddess. This unique tradition is a perfect example of the peaceful coexistence of religion in Nepal.
History in Nepal
There have been various stories on Kumari tradition.
Some of them are:
- King Jayaprakash Malla, the last Nepalese king of the Malla Dynasty (12th–17th century CE) once made wrong advances towards the goddess taleju as they play dice while discussing the welfare of the country.
- Taleju Bhawani angrily blames the king for sharing their dice game’s secret with the queen and disappears.
- Taleju Bhawani visiting the king in his dreams and asking to build a home for the goddess and start Jatra, if he wants to save his reign.
However, all the stories conclude that the tradition of the search for Kumari started to get to meet the goddess taleju and for the safety of life and country.
Kumari selection
There are eleven living goddesses in Nepal known as Kumari, chosen from various towns, in the belief that Kumari protects the town from evil powers.
The three supreme Kumari’s are each related with one of the three main towns of the Kathmandu valley: Patan, Bhaktapur, and Kathmandu though the Kumari selection procedures in all places are similar the time and process are different. In Kathmandu, Kumari is selected from the Shakya clan, Patan, and Lalitpur from Bajracharya.
In Kathmandu, at the first stage, nine girls are selected from which the only one will be Kumari. In Patan, at the first stage three girls are selected and in Bhaktapur Kumari is directly selected.
Worshipping Kumari differently in three cities shows the essence of culture.
To be royal Kumari, the list of requirements is elaborate. Some of them are:
- The young girl must have the 32 perfections of the goddess.
- wellness without any history of serious disease.
- Gorgeous expressive eyes.
- A sonorous voice.
- Delicate and soft hands and feet.
- No wounds or scars.
- Straight hair curled towards the right side and must not have shed any blood and never menstruated.
Her family’s reputation for devotion is taken into consideration by the selection committee. The nominated girl then undergoes an extraordinary test on the night of Kal Ratri (the eighth night of the Dashain festival). She must go through one hundred and eight buffaloes and goats that have been sacrificed to the goddess Durga, without any fright. If she maintains a perfectly calm manner through the circuit of carnage, she is taken into the Taleju temple by a high priest and installed as the new incarnation of the goddess.
Life as Kumari
The Royal Kumari lives in the spectacular, intricately craved three-floored wooden temple. This temple, known as Kumari chhen or Kumari Ghar (Kumari house), is situated at the southern end of Basantapur Durbar Square.
The power of the Kumari is recognized to be so strong that even a glimpse of her is believed to bring good fortune. Crowds of people wait below the Kumari’s window in the Kumari Chowk, of her palace.
Non-Hindus are permitted to enter the palace but not all can visit the Kumari.
Throughout her span is the goddess of the Kumari has to live in isolation from her family. Even her actual family members treat her like a goddess. A ‘chaitaidar’ (woman caretaker of the Kumari) is assigned to look after the goddess's everyday needs and general upbringing.
The gestures of the goddess during offerings of the devotees are regarded as signs. If she cries or laughs loudly, the worshipper is supposed to become seriously unwell or even die. If she picks out the food offered, the visitor will soon lose money. In none of the ominous signs appear, the worshipper’s wish will be fulfilled. There are only fifteen days a year when the royal Kumari is carried out from her temple. It is believed that the goddess will leave her body if Kumari’s feet touch the ground therefore she is carried by a person or in a golden palanquin whenever she travels out of her temple.
Traditional wear and ornaments
For festivals and other formal occasions, the Kumari is always costumed in red, because red is viewed as the color of gods and power among Hindus in Nepal. The Kumari wears a bright red cloak to her feet, a redshirt, and a red turban. Her hair is put together in a topknot and decorated with fragrant flowers, and she has a third eye painted on her forehead, which is believed to destroy all the evil in the world. The Kumari put on garlands of diamonds and gold coins, and two necklaces of extra-special symbolic significance. One is a golden chain made in the form of the serpent god called ‘Basuki Naga’ on her neck, hanging downwards to her belly.
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Another trinket the goddess wears is a four-inch-long golden ta-yo, which has a cylindrical body with several edges and a conical shape at both ends. This is a shield under the umbrella of an eight-headed miniature golden Naga, which symbolizes the eight mother goddesses. when the Kumari tradition began near the end of the rule of the Malla kings these ornaments were prepared.
The ceremonial clothes and ornaments are passed from one Kumari to the next, through the ages. The Kumari’s red tika, which is put on her forehead is called bhrigu. It symbolizes the cosmic energy of the earth. The shining and most glowing tika is a sign of wealth, prosperity, and a bright future for the nation. By mixing vermilion powder, rock crystal powder, a kind of sweet-scented natural powder called ‘Kumkum’, and sesame seed oil the unique tika is prepared.
The goddess is believed to leave the body of current Kumari with her first menstruation or in case of any injuries. The search for a new Kumari begins from that time.
Traditionally, the Kumari got no education as she was universally considered to be omniscient. However, as modernization has made it mandatory for her to have an education once she re-enters her mortal life, Kumari’s are now allowed to get an education.
