Kumari, in simple terms, means untouched or a virgin girl. For centuries in Nepal girls of a very young age are chosen to be living goddesses or Kamari. They are worshipped or valued by Buddhists and Hindus.
Kumari is believed to be the living embodiment of goddess Durga and she is believed to be holy and can perform miracles as such her role is to protect her city. The Kumari tradition is followed in a few cities; Kathmandu, Lalitpur(Patan), Bhaktapur, Sank, and Bungmati. The selection process and roles are different according to the cities. The main Kumari is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu.
There are around 100 eligible families from the Shakya caste of the Nepalese Newari Buddhist community among which a Kumari is chosen.
Once she is chosen priest undergoes several Tantric rituals to cleanse her body and spirit of her past experiences. Once she is chosen, she is confined to the temple and has little contact with the outside world. She can’t speak to anyone and her feet are so holy that they shouldn’t touch the ground as such there is always someone who carries her around. She receives all her education in the Kumari house. Once her first menstruation cycle starts or any serious illness occurs where blood loss occurs a new Kumari is chosen as it is believed that goddess Durga is no more in her body.
The main objective behind this culture is to realize the potential divinity in every human being especially, females.
