DID YOU KNOW…
Nepal's Living Goddesses: The Kumari Tradition
Did you know? In Nepal, young pre-pubescent girls are chosen to be 'living goddesses' or Kumaris, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists until they reach puberty or suffer a significant injury. They live in temple-palaces, rarely touching the ground, and offer blessings to devotees.
The selection of a Kumari is a highly ritualized process, requiring the candidate to possess 32 specific physical attributes and demonstrate unwavering courage in the face of fear-inducing rituals. Once chosen, she lives in a temple-palace, receives devotees, and performs ceremonial blessings. This ancient tradition signifies the belief in the embodiment of divine energy in a mortal being, serving as a powerful cultural link between different religious communities in Nepal.
Love discovering things like this?
A new fact every day with photos, on the free app.