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While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu. The selection process for her is especially rigorous, and she lives in the Kumari Ghar , a palace in the center of the city. The current Royal Kumari, Preeti Shakya was installed on 10 July, 2001 at the age of four.
A Kumari is believed to be the bodily incarnation of the goddess Taleju until she menstruates, after which it is believed that the goddess vacates her body. Serious illness or a major loss of blood from an injury are also causes for her to revert to common status.
Whilst the veneration of a living Kumari in Nepal is relatively recent, dating only from the 17th century, the tradition of Kumari- PujaPuja pooja Sanskrit: adoration, homage, honour, respect, reverence, veneration, worship) is a Hindu religious ritual; in which offerings are made to a Hindu deity. During Puja, incense is commonly burned., or virgin worship, has been around for much longer. There is evidence of virgin worship taking place in IndiaThe Republic of India is a large multicultural country in South Asia, with a population of over one billion. The Indian economy is the fourth largest in the world, in terms of purchasing power parity, and is the world's second-fastest growing economy. for more than 2,600 years. It appears to have taken hold in Nepal in the 6th century5th century — 6th century — 7th century — other centuries) Events The first academy of the east the Academy of Gundeshapur founded in Persia by the Persian Shah Khosrau I. Irish colonists and invaders, the Scots, began migrating to Caledonia (later known. There is written evidence describing the selection, ornamentation and worship of the Kumari dating from the 13th century12th century 13th century 14th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. Events Fourth through eighth crusades of western European kingdoms against Islam Fall of.
There are several legends circulating about how the current cult of the Kumari began. Most of the legends, however, lead back to King Jayaprakash Malla , the last Nepalese king of the Malla Dynasty . According to the most popular legend, a red serpent approaches the King's chambers late one night as he plays tripasa a dice game with the goddess Taleju . The King begins to admire the surpassing beauty of Taleju, the patroness of his royal lineage, realizing that her beauty surpasses that of his own wife. His amorous thoughts, however, are found out as the goddess is able to read his thoughts.
Standing abruptly, Taleju rebukes the king for his lustful thoughts and declares that if he is ever to see her again, it will be in the form of a young girl from a low caste. Hoping to make amends with his patroness, the King left the palace in search of the young girl who was possessed by Taleju's spirit. Even today, a mother's dream of a red serpent is believed to portend the elevation of her daughter to the position of Royal Kumari. And each year, the Nepalese King seeks the blessing of the Royal Kumari at the festival of Indra Jatra .
A variation of this and other legends names King Gunkam Dev , a 12th century11th century 12th century 13th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. Events Song dynasty loses power over Northern China The Kamakura Shogunate deprives the ancestor of King Jayaprakash Malla as the main character rather than Jayaprakash Malla.
Another legend of the origins of the cult of the Kumari is more disturbing. According to this legend, King Jayaprakash Malla had intercourse with a pre-pubescent girl who later died as a result. The King, overcome with guilt, began having dreams that told him that he must begin to search for each young incarnation of Taleju. To make penance for his actions, he must then worship the Kumari and ask for her blessing each year.
A third variation of the legend says that during the reign of King Jayaprakash Malla, a young girl was banished from the city because it was feared that she was possessed by the goddess Durga. When the Queen learned of the young girl's fate, she became enraged and insisted that the King fetch the girl and install her as the living incarnation of Durga.