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I spotted an article pertaining to Nepal's newest diety while surfing MSN this morning. It was so very different from anything we observe in our own nation, and I was intrigued...if not a bit appalled. After digging a bit deeper into this tradition, I decided to write my own summarization.

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Nepal’s new Maoist government has allowed the continuation of an ancient Hindu-Buddhist tradition. A three-year-old girl from the goldsmith caste has become Nepal’s newest living goddess. This “kumari” is viewed as a source of supreme power and is selected through astrological consultation and a series of religious ceremonies. She must meet thirty-two attributes of perfection, including black eyes, clear skin, black hair, forty teeth, and a crystal voice. Once passing the first screening process, girls are subjected to further rituals, which include being encircled by freshly severed goat heads. The true goddess will remain calm through terrifying situations.

Once a girl is chosen, the Taleju spirit enters her body and she assumes the title of Kumari Devi. From there, she will leave her family and live in virtual isolation in a Kathmandu palace. A kumari’s feet will never touch the ground unless a red carpet is placed beneath her, and she will only leave the palace a few times out of the year. Her most important outing is the festival of thanks to the rain god. In Nepal’s prior government, this festival would have included a blessing for the king.

The term as goddess ends at the onset of puberty. From that point, the girl resumes human form and is returned to her family. She is expected to resume a “normal” life, but what is normalcy after life as a goddess? This question is a cause of concern for many child rights activists around the world. The former kumari will receive a small governmental allowance as a “thank you” for her protection and will probably be shunned as a bride. Afer all, superstition states that the husband of a former kumari is destined to die young.

In recent years, Nepal’s Supreme Court has stepped in to provide a bit of modernization. Kumaris are now educated, though instruction must take place within the palace walls. Girls are also allowed exposure to entertainment and news programs and can receive visits from family members at any time.

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I place my faith in one supreme God and do not put stock in Hindu gods and goddesses, which certainly complicates my ability to understand this ancient tradition.

I genuinely feel for the girls who are chosen for this position. Many of them begin their term before they are old enough to understand the circumstances that brought them to this point. Most will grow up without fully knowing family members and will probably retain that detatchment for the rest of their lives. It seems incredibly unfair to banish a girl from the only life she has known due to a circumstance beyond her control.