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.