Nepal’s new living goddess Trishna Shakya, 3, is carried by her father towards a temple palace in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017. Shakya has become Nepal’s new “Kumari,” revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation. She was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital where she is to live until just before puberty. (Bikram Rai/Associated Press)
By Binaj Gurubacharya | AP
September 28
KATHMANDU, Nepal — A 3-year-old girl became Nepal’s new living goddess Thursday, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalayan nation.
Trishna Shakya was carried in a religious ceremony to a temple palace in the heart of the Nepalese capital where she is to live until just before puberty.
She was among four finalists from the Shakya clan for the position of living goddess, called “Kumari.”
A panel of Hindu priests took days to select her after checking her horoscope and searching for physical imperfections. As a goddess she should not have any physical flaws.
“It is our tradition that after the living goddess reaches age 12 we have to find a new one and the search begins. We have to make sure that the goddess is suitable to bring good fortune for the country,” said Gautam Shakya, a priest in the panel.
“We have found our new Kumari,” he said.
Hundreds of followers and devotees lined up to get a glimpse of the girl, dressed in a red dress and covered with flower garlands.