Home > News > Nepal’s child goddess sacked for visiting US

Nepal’s child goddess sacked for visiting US

Kumari Devi appears during the <br />Bhotojatra festival, Kathmandu” title=”Kumari Devi appears during the <br />Bhotojatra festival, Kathmandu” /><br /> <br />Kumari Devi appears during the <br />Bhotojatra festival, Kathmandu </div> <p> Kathamandu (Nepal): </strong>A 10-year-old Nepali girl worshipped as a living goddess, or Kumari, has lost her "divine" status for defying tradition and visiting the United States.</p> <p>Sajani Shakya was installed at the age of two as the Kumari of the ancient town of Bhaktapur, near the capital Kathmandu, where Hindus and Buddhists alike revere her.</p> <p>But a recent trip to the United States to promote a British-made documentary exploring Nepal’s traditions and contemporary political turmoil has upset local religious leaders. "It is wrong and against the tradition for her to go on a foreign tour without any permission," said Jai Prasad Regmi, chief of a trust that manages the affairs of Bhaktapur’s Kumari tradition.</p> <p>"This is impure in our tradition. We will search for a new Kumari and install her as the living goddess," Regmi said. Bhaktapur’s is one of several Kumaris in the Kathmandu valley. The most important lives in a 15th century temple in Kathmandu’s ancient Durbar Square.</p> <p>Living goddesses are chosen from the Buddhist Shakya family after a tough selection process. They are required to stay in temples blessing devotees until reaching puberty, after which they rejoin their family and lead a normal life. "We are discussing whether or not to pay Sajani monthly pension. We are positive on this," Regmi said. While other living goddesses get a monthly pension of $17 each after retirement, Kathmandu’s gets about $50 a month.</p> <p>Nepal’s Supreme Court last year ordered the government to submit a detailed report on whether the Kumari tradition violated the children’s human rights. Officials say the study is underway.</p> <p><strong>Source: </strong><a onclick= http://www.ibnlive.com/news/nepals-child-goddess-sacked-for-visiting-us/43947-2.html?xml

Leave a Comment

Notice : The source URLs cited in the news/article might be only valid on the date the news/article was published. Most of them may become invalid from a day to a few months later. When a URL fails to work, you may go to the top level of the sources website and search for the news/article.

Disclaimer : The news/article published are collected from various sources and responsibility of news/article lies solely on the source itself. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) or its website is not in anyway connected nor it is responsible for the news/article content presented here. ​Opinions expressed in this article are the authors personal opinions. Information, facts or opinions shared by the Author do not reflect the views of HJS and HJS is not responsible or liable for the same. The Author is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. ​

© 2014 Hindu Janajagruti Samiti - All Rights Reserved