A 2-year-old girl has been chosen as Nepal’s new living goddess, known as the Kumari. Aryatara Shakya replaces the previous Kumari, who has followed the tradition of stepping down upon reaching puberty.
Archived version: https://archive.is/20251001214125/https://apnews.com/article/nepal-living-goddess-hindu-tradition-0cd93fa79e3446ffdf995210f44b8f99
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The section I was most interested in was all the way at the bottom, for somewhat obvious reason ig.
But Kumaris live a sequestered life. They have few selected playmates and are allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals.
Former Kumaris face difficulties adjusting to normal life, learning to do chores and attending regular schools. Nepalese folklore says men who marry a former Kumari will die young, which has resulted in many of the girls remaining unmarried.
Over the past few years, there have been many changes in tradition and the Kumari is now allowed to receive an education from private tutors inside the temple palace and even have a television set.
The government also offers retired Kumaris a small monthly pension of about $110, which is slightly above the minimum wage fixed by the government.
I saw this on wikipedias homepage and yeah this feels so weird. Idk if it’s disrespectful but the selection process especially is just uhhh
Body evaluation of a child? Idk how to CW this
Girls who pass these basic eligibility requirements are examined for the battis lakshanas, or “thirty-two perfections” of a goddess, which involves their bodies being stripped of all clothing and caressed by the priests.
Some of these “perfections” are poetically listed, as such: A neck like a conch shell
A body like a banyan tree
Eyelashes like a cow
Thighs like a deer
Chest like a lion
Voice as soft and clear as a duck’s
In addition to this, her hair and eyes should be as black as possible, and she should have dainty hands and feet, small and well-recessed sexual organs, and a set of twenty teeth
Edits: numerous corrections to formatting and text because im bad at this game
What’s disrespectful is everything about this disgusting “selection process” holy fuck ew
They don’t get to walk either. Have to be carried everywhere. So no running and climbing and playing.
Religion is cancer.
Am I the only one who finds this whole tradition creepy?
It’s incredibly fucked up is what it is
Religious institutions and children always give me the ick.
