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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

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