Kathmandu, June 26: The belief in existence of gods, of spirits and of positive energy adds a spiritual dimension to human life. Besides faith, the interesting idea of gods and goddesses living around is also wonderful. One of the unique traditions that enriches the culture of our country and is based on this belief of a living goddess is the tradition of Kumari.
Kumari tradition started in Kathmandu during the reign of King Jay Prakash Malla. It is believed that every night he used to have a secret conversation about his kingdom with Goddess Taleju. The Goddess had warned him that he, intentionally or unintentionally, should be alone while coming to meet her. Since the King regularly disappeared for hours at night, the queen, naturally, began to feel concerned and suspicious. One day she followed him meticulously and saw Goddess Taleju. This marked an irreparable damage in the holy bond between the Goddess and the King. From that day on, she stopped visiting him.
“After this incident, King Jayprakash was distraught,” added the caretaker Gautam Sakya, who recounted this history during our conversation. He said, “He felt helpless and was dying with the pessimism of losing the territory.” When Prithvi Narayan Shah unleashed an attack on Kathmandu, Goddess Taleju, who was till then angry, felt sympathetic towards Jay Prakash Malla and his people. So she appeared in his dream and suggested he search for a young girl from the Sakya family in whom she would incarnate. Immediately, the King did it as said in dream and started the Ya-Ya Jatra (basically known as Indra Jatra).
King Prithvi Narayan Shah, after conquering the Valley, decided to stop the Jatra initially. However, the divine presence of Goddess Taleju touched the soul of Gorkhali force, and King Prithvi Narayan Shah not only allowed the tradition of Kumari to carry on but also made every possible effort to contribute in its enrichment.
Though the custom of Living Goddess started 300 years ago, there is a belief that Kumari used to be worshipped even during the reign of the Licchavi dynasty. Kumari Tradition is a unique combination of Vedic and Buddhist beliefs.
Living Goddess Kumari taken to Pachali Bhairab visit
How is Kumari Selected?
When the residing Kumari is no longer eligible to be Goddess, which is usually the case once her menstrual cycle kicks in, the selection process of new Kumari starts. This is usually done during the time of dashain. Parents of a three year old Sakya girl provide the Cheena (auspicious signs) of their daughter, and 5 senior priests, also called Bajracharya, select the one that has all the 32 qualities necessary to become Kumari.
Since the Kumari is the only Goddess who lives around us to protect us, she must have a strong personality defined by fearlessness. Besides, according to the tradition the Kumari should have a body like a Banyan tree, eyelashes like that of a healthy cow, cheeks like a lion, deep voice of a sparrow, neck like a mussel, thighs like those of a deer, and so on.
After the new Kumari is selected, on the Nabami, she is taken to Taleju Temple for puja. Kumari is taken out of the kumari house for only 13 times which is in Jatra. Otherwise, she stays inside the house and gives blessings to the visitors. There is a traditional belief that if the blood of Kumari flows out of the body (either through cuts or menstruation), Goddess Taleju leaves her body. This is the reason why a new Kumari is selected once the residing one has periods. And also, this is the reason why Kumari doesn’t touch the floor. As Kumari has to restart her normal life as a girl after certain years, she receives education, explores in the art sector, gets access to the internet and tv inside the house.
Myths and Misconceptions
Numerous myths surround Kumari tradition. There is a misconception that tears in Kumari’s eyes are a sign of ill omen. This has no ground in reality. In fact, laughing or crying doesn’t have any effect at all as at her inmost core she is still a little girl in her blooming stage. Another misconception is that the marriage with Kumari will bring death to the groom. “The rumor about the death of the groom spread through a movie named Kumari where a guy in love with a Kumari dies in an accident,” clarified the caretaker, Gautam Sakya. This created fear in people that marrying or falling in love with a Kumari is a curse. But in reality it doesn’t have any effect since many former Kumari have a beautiful family by now.
There is also an ungrounded agreement among people that Kumaris tend to have a hard time during their post-Kumari life. This too is not true at all. In fact, most of the former Kumaris are living a normal life and have a stable family. After all, during their life as Kumari, they are allowed to blossom naturally like any normal child. Being Kumari, I believe, is a great privilege, not at all a burden.
Conclusion
Preserving culture is important, especially the ones that are as unique as Kumari tradition. Sustaining a Kumari and providing her with all the necessary care is expensive. Though the country boasts about its unique culture, it has not allocated a sufficient budget to sustain it. Initially, that is, years ago the Government set aside only Rs. 7 for Indra Jatra. This amount might have been sufficient during starting days but by now, when things are a lot more expensive, this amount is negligible and makes no difference.
Not only that, the whole one family, passing from generation to generation, has been taking care of Kumari and the Kumari house for centuries. They have played an indispensable role in maintaining and sustaining this beautiful and indigenous tradition of our country. However, their contribution has received little to no recognition at the national level. More importantly, their family does not receive sufficient financial support from the state. For this reason, they have to use money from the family fund to support Kumari. “Our heart doesn’t allow us to run away from our duties,” said the caretaker. “We have been doing it for years and it's our duty.” What about their problem? Since they are doing so much to preserve and sustain the Kumari tradition, it must be the duty of the country to address their problem as well.
Kumari, a beautiful tradition which has been followed since the Licchavi era, embodies the rich uniqueness of our culture. Kumari is not only a little girl but the faith that radiates positive energy. She is a symbol and savior for the believer. This kind of unique tradition enriches the cultural panorama of our beautiful country, and steps must be taken at the local as well as the national level to preserve it.
@@@
