KUMARI
The Kumari or the Kumari Devi comes from the Hindu faith however most of the traditional Kumari in Kathmadnu are Newari. In Nepal the Kumari is the tradition of worshipping young pre-pubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy. Kumari is believed to be the living incarnation of the goddess Taleju also known as Durga.
How is Kumari Selected?
The previous selected kumari life continues until after menstruation when the goddess Taleju vacates her body. Once the current Kumari is no longer eligible to be a vessel for goddess a national or regional search began to find pre-pubescent girls from Shakya caste or Bajracharya clan of Nepalese Newari community. There are many criteria that should be met to be selected as Kumari. Kumari should met the following perfections.
- Thighs like a deer
- A body like a banyan tree
- Eyelashes like a cow
- Twenty unbroken teeth should be present
- Hair and eye should be very black
History of Kumari in Nepal
The tradition of Kumari has started form 17th century but we can find the evidence of virgin worship taking places in Nepal for more than 2,300yrs.But there are several legends saying that the ritual started when goddess visited King Jayaprakash Malla ,the last Nepalese king of the Malla Dyanasty in his dream.
