I have been worshipping Kumari since my childhood...all our family members worship her.I used to frequent Kumari ghar with her favorite food( Mango Fruti and lays) ...When the recent kumari was chosen(which was few years ago) I went for her Darshan....and there she was an innocent looking a complete goddess like figure stretching out her legs in front of me... I bowed to her with my utmost respect putting dam and leaving her food stuffs there ......expecting tika from her.She was really mischievious ..the way she used to put tika always used to depend on her mood..sometimes she used to take hours to decorate ur forehead and sometimes she just used to touch it...I just used to smile at this...Must say she was quite fascinated by my sandals and bags.She always used to stand there and watch me closely when I was putting back my sandals and my bag which was picked up from one of the flea market of India. I used to sit there for hours watching her play with her pet( white Japanese Spitz ).and the ugly looking Chinese dolls...I saw her growing up each year I went there for my visit..but her eyes never grew up.I can still see the same eyes I saw the very first time when she was chosen the KUMARI.It never changed with the time
My birth has been always associated with this living deity..... I just believe in her....and share very informal relationship with her....
Well, abolishing everything is not the right solution to every problem....but finding the rite way to get rid of the problem and to tackle the situation in the better way is...we should not let such institution just die away...yeah of course we should improve and change the way it has been carried through out the years......
Darshan Ajima!.....I hope to pay u Darshan when I will get back to Ktm . and this time I will come with Belgian Chocolates ..I know u will love it.......

Sure ImI, I will do that...and will keep her leftovers as Prasad for u....If ever get a chance just go and touch her tiny little feet...then u will realise how it feels to be near GOD.....spirituality comes from belief ...never forget tat...btw I asked u for sth too...do u remember??

Kumari is choosen, having said that, the lil girl doenst even know that means, what is that she has to go thru and all than including the future consiquenses, faith apart, but more than faith , value of human life and dignified living is important.

is faith suppose to be so weak that, if kumari or even idols and temples of gods are abolished and we loose our faith, i dont think so.

how many girls in nepal, who're in their 20's and knows a lil more about kumari and aftermath of what heappens ones she's not worshiped as a kumari....would have willing volunteer to be a kumari, or even would like to be choosen as one. i dont think many.

but anyways, ones faith shouldnt be controlled by anything, its just your feeling and approach.

Dear Mansion,
I have seen the last days of other Kumari....when she was ready to leave the Ghar....I could well see the confusion, the frustation and all kind of mixed emotions on her face when she comes closer to the day of departure from her deity days..The fear of going back to the real world and to live an abnormally normal life ......It is definitely not a good tradition...but there is always a solution to every thing....so lets pray they will come up with something good......

well dear, praying is not gonna bring any solutions , will it.

Educate PPL, take a survey, whats has happned with all those past kumaris, does anyone even know their whereabouts, how has life been after she's not a kumari anymo0re, did she have to go thru any hardship, or biasness, being a ex kumari, how has bein a kumari affected her life..even normal life, are they married, have kdis, family.


am sure, if we knew all these, we'd know if its worthed to choose someone as a kumari and then onces she's not then just dump her to face the world.

Thanks Mansion.Okay , I will see to it.....things has changed a lot in Nepal...so lets see what can be done for my FAITH......Wish me luck and do remind me time and again....I tend to forget things...sometimes I think I will forget myself one day...

kilo patra,

You're being utmost selfish here by thinking kumari to be your ‘god’, when she happens to be just another kid deserving to lead a normal life during her childhood and adulthood.

There are many ‘believers’ like you who also believe that the one who marries a kumari will die soon or will have a doomed life. Which believer would want to marry a kumari to have his life doomed? Or which family would let their son marry a kumari? What will become of a kumari in future? So if you really care about another human, why would you want to destroy her life just to make yourself believe that you’re seeing/touching god? That’s plain selfish. But well, you think she’s god and not a human…you and your inane head!!!

I thought once you are chosen to be kumari...even when you get out there are legends or stories of how if you marry them there is bad luck all your life and such. So they can't get married once chosen...life is ruined after the girl is no longer kumari

I am not sure if that's correct...I think i read it somewhere long time ago

While we are debating here about Kumari, here is the news on this Kumari tradition:

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The link:

The link still didn't work..:( :-s

Kumari Tradition Challanged

Talk about a case of wrong priorities. We've got more important things to worry about like the exploitation of hundreds of thousands of children - both boys and girls - as domestic servants, bonded laborers and even prostitutes. If it's exploitation we are worried about, focusing on the Kumari is certainly not the best way to go about solving the problem.

Dumb, very dumb, in my opinion.

Captain,

A priority that is top for you, might be of the least importance to many, and that is in fact what is happening. The controversy of ‘kumari’ tradition is just an indication of the change needed in our society. I am not just talking about exploitation here. Kumari represents an organized belief that is entirely wrong. If people want to go against what they believe is wrong, then let them…

अजिमा र कुमारी एउटै हो र?

जस्ले कुमरि लाइ बिहे गर्छ ऊस्ले आफ्नो मृतु पनि निम्त्यौउन्छ भन्ने कथन् छ। तै पनि बदलिदो परिस्थिमा कुमारी ले पनि बिहे गर्न पौउनु पर्छ भन्ने मेरो सोचाई छ। हेरौ सर्वोचच अदलत् को निर्णय!

Kumari Pratha should be abolished,
how can an innocent kidd, as in cheopatra's word, be a god. She is another child and sorry that i am coming harsh here, but she is not special. Nor she has any special attributes. We as general public have no rights to manipulate her life when she does not know what she has gotten herself into.

As far as i know, Kumari can stay in Kumari Ghar only until before her first menstrual.
What after that? She will be entering into real world. What do you expect from a child who has been living in social isolation for 10+ years?
The social amalgamation is always hard for such a public figure, especially when ONE IS GOD. Imagine going to classes and being treated as a god. If you can take that cleopatra then i wish you a good luck that your first child be KUMARI, the chosen one.

Isn't there a taboo, one cannot marry Kumari? does anyone know what is life after Kumari? well let me put it in two words, "IT'S ATROCIOUS"

Cleopatra:
almost same story for me too, Pray for me as well,
I will do it for you when I get back to KTM !!

Read a book," A Cult of Kumari,Virgin Worship in Nepal" by Michael Allen.

hahahahahahaha.....

so you basically arrested the god(ajima) in kathmandu, ms samrat upadhyaya? :P....great narration, even samrat will feel ashamed :P

LooTe

Worship of the Kumari started back in Malla Dynasty and worshipped by the country's Hindus, Nepalese Newari community. Almost all of the newari community follows the tantric rituals of hindusim in contrast to Mantrik rituals. It is sort of confusion for non newari community to accept the tradition. These days even Katmandu newars do not know for sure why do they worship the goddess. They just do it because its their culture.

Goddess Kumari is one of the Nava Durga which is also known as “Kaumari” a Mother Goddess in Hindu mythology, and mentioned in epic and Puranic literature. The Shakti of Skanda (Kaumara) who in later Hinduism became to be regarded as one of the group of seven mataras (mothers) of evil intent. She also was one of a group of eight Astamatara. She embodies the lack of envy or, alternatively, delusion.

There are lots of arguments and questions raised regarding this tradition and the you can find in every religion in this universe. In newari community, Godess Kumari is worshipped as compared to Lord Ganesh. Till today as per the rituals every girl born in the family until she menstruates, is considered as Godess Kumari and worshipped especially in Dashain, while performing the Nawami Puja during the sacrifice of a bird or an animal.

The point is it’s our culture and sometimes we question our self why we do believe in this and that but we still do follow the tradition at the end. Anyone can argue regarding this tradition and can write a book or preach every other person he or she meets, but this tradition will go on and people will worship her as goddess as long as they live. This is a culture and if you don’t know please try to understand, or just let it go.


Facts: Former Kumaris (source: Kathmandu post)

Name Hometown Dates as Kumari Marital Status
Hira Maiya Shakya Wotu 1922-1923 married, 0 children
Chini Shova Shakya* Lagan 1923-1931 married, 2 daughters
Chandra Devi Shakya* Asonchuka 1931-1933 married, 2 daughters
Dil Kumari Shakya agan 1933-1942 married, 3 sons, 1 daughter
Nani Shova Shakya Ombahal 1942-1949 married, 4 sons, 2 daughters
Kayo Mayju Shakya* Kwahiti 1949-1955 married, 1 son, 1 daughter
Harsha Laxmi Shakya Naghal 1955-1961 married, 2 sons
Nani Mayju Shakya Naghal 1961-1969 married, 1 son, 2 daughters
Sunina Shakya Ombahal 1969-1978 married, 1 son, 1 daughter
Anita Shakya Sikamoobahal 1978-1984 unmarried
Rashmila Shakya Kwahiti 1984-1991 unmarried
Amita Shakya Asanbahal 1991-2001 unmarried
Preeti Shakya Itumbahal 2001- unmarried

Pretty much all of the kumaris in the list got married !!!

Hey, Nepal is a secular country now. So let Mewars do what they have been doing in thier culture. Why Supreme Court got to do with it?