Blogger: Nanu Shrestha

I hope many of you know about the Kumari pratha that still takes place in our country Nepal. Those who have no idea about it, here are some information about it.

Kumari is commonly known as a Kumari Devi, literally means virgin in Nepali. It was the name of the goddess Durga as a child. The kumari is revered and worshipped by Hindus as well as the Nepali Buddhists, selected from the Shakya caste of the Nepalese Newari community.

While there are several Kumaries throughout Nepal but the best known is the royal Kumari of Kathmandu and she lives in the Kumari Ghar (Kumari House) a palace in the centre of the city. The current Royal Kumari is Pretti Shakya.

A Kumari is believed to be the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacant her body. Serious illness or a major less of blood from an injury are also causes for her to revert to common status.

Kumari is selected from Newar Shakya caste. She must be in excellent health, never have been distressed by any diseases or never have shack blood, must not have yet lost any teeth. Her hair and eyes should be very black and she should have pretty hands and feet, small and well lower-level sexual organs and a set of twenty teeth. Along this she is also examined for the Battis Lakshans (thirty two perfections) of a goddess.

Some of these are poetically listed as:

• Eyelashes like a cow.
• A body like a banyan tree.
• A neck like a conch shell.
• Chest like a lion.
• Thighs like a deer.
• Voice soft and clear as a duck’s.

This is some information about Kumari and my views and opinion about it will be continuing in my next article.