Kumari

Kumari, or Kumari Devi, or Living Durga – Nepal, is the tradition of worshiping young prepubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Asian religious traditions. The word Kumari is derived from the Sanskrit language "Kumari", meaning "Young Prepubescent Girl ".

In Nepal, a Kumari is a prepubescent girl selected from the Shakya caste of the Nepalese Newari Buddhist community. The Kumari is revered and worshiped by some of the country's Hindus too. While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, and she lives in the Kumari Ghar, a palace in the center of the city. The selection process for her is especially rigorous. As of 2017, the Royal Kumari is Trishna Shakya, aged three, installed in September 2017 by the Maoist government that replaced the monarchy. Unika Bajracharya, selected in April 2014 as the Kumari of Patan, is the second most important living goddess.

In Kathmandu Valley, this is a particularly prevalent practice. It is believed to be the incarnation of Taleju, a manifestation of the goddess 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 Kumari tradition is only followed in a few cities in Nepal, which are Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Sankhu and Bungamati. The selection process and roles of the Kumari vary between the different towns.