Kumari (goddess)

Kumari (Sanskrit for "young girl" or "unmarried"), Kumari Devi, or the Living Goddess, is a unique Hindu and Buddhist practice, primarily observed in Nepal and parts of adjacent India, which centers on the worship of a prepubescent girl as a living goddess and a manifestation of the divine feminine energy, Shakti, the Indian religions worship Monotheistic god's multi-morphic avatar manifestation of genderless formless god into human forms including worshipping women as goddess in various forms such as worship of daughters as Kumari, wife as Lakshmi, women as skilled Saraswati and empowered Durga who as Kali exterminates evil), a key concept in Hinduism's Shaktism tradition which venerates the feminine aspect of the genderless formless Absolute God Brahma. A Kumari is considered to be the living embodiment of the goddess Taleju (a form of devi Durga), the venerable powerful manifestation of divine woman power, ingraining Hindus and Buddhists to treat their females, mothers, sisters, wife and daughters with respect as goddess. A Kumari is a prepubescent girl selected from the Shakya clan of the Nepali Newari Buddhist community. It is believed that the girl is possessed by the goddess Taleju or Durga. When her first menstruation begins, it is believed that the deity vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury also causes loss of deity. The chosen female child is typically worshipped from a pre-pubescent age, with her tenure as the divine vessel concluding with her first menstruation or a significant loss of blood, signifying the departure of the goddess's spirit. This veneration of the young girl, often selected from the Newar Buddhist Shakya community in the Kathmandu Valley, reflects the broader Hindu reverence for women as embodiments of the goddess. While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu. She lives in the Kumari Ghar, a palace in the center of the city. The selection process for her is especially rigorous. As of 2025, the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu is Aryatara Shakya, aged two, selected in September 2025. Unika Bajracharya, selected in April 2014 as the Kumari of Patan, is the second most important living goddess. The Kumari tradition is a particularly prevalent practice in the Kathmandu Valley. It is followed in the cities of Kathmandu, Lalitpur (also called Patan), Bhaktapur (also called Bhadgaun), Sankhu, and Bungamati. The selection process and roles of the Kumari vary among the different towns.