Samita Bajracharya, a 12-year-old from Lalitpur near Kathmandu, is like many girls her age: she lives with her family, studies hard, and enjoys playing the Nepali lute. But until recently, she was worshipped as a living goddess, or Kumari, believed by Hindus and Buddhists to be a reincarnation of the goddess Durga.
Kumaris are pre-pubescent girls chosen through physical tests and rituals. They live in seclusion, cannot go outside except for festivals, and their feet must not touch the ground. They are also forbidden from speaking to anyone outside their family and close friends. Samita's mother recalled mixed feelings upon her daughter's selection: 'I felt both happy and sad. Having a god in the home is delightful, but I feared we could not follow all the rules.'
Former Kumari Chanira Bajracharya, 19, now a business student, described her decade-long tenure ending at 15 when she menstruated. 'When I had to step out for the first time, I didn't know how to walk,' she said. She learned English by peeking through window holes during her goddess years. Returning to school was a challenge: classmates called her an 'alien' and were afraid to talk to her.
Today, Samita receives private tutoring at home, a break from tradition. Her teacher, Rachna Upreti, noted: 'In the past, there was no education for Kumaris. Their world was confined to four corners of their rooms.' Samita now balances her divine past with ordinary childhood—homework, music, and family life.
