Meeting the Kumari

From the palace, we went round the corner to visit the Kumari Ghar, also known as the Kumari Bahal, a magnificent townhouse that serves as the sacred dwelling of the living goddess. It was built in 1757 by King Jay Prakash Malla and showcases exquisite wooden carvings and craftsmanship of the highest calibre.

Kumari (Sanskrit for "young girl" or "unmarried") is a unique Hindu practice, primarily observed in Nepal and parts of India, which centres on the worship of a prepubescent girl as a living goddess and a manifestation of the divine feminine energy, Shakti. The girl is selected from the Shakya clan of the Nepali Newari Buddhist community. It is believed that the girl is possessed by the goddess Taleju or Durga. The chosen female child is typically worshipped from a pre-pubescent age, with her tenure as the divine vessel concluding with her first menstruation or a significant loss of blood (for example, from an accident), signifying the departure of the goddess's spirit. While there are several Kumaris throughout Nepal, with some cities having several, the best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu.

Every day, at moments between 9am and 11am and between 4pm and 5pm, the Kumari appears at the middle window of the third floor of the Kumari Ghar to wave to pilgrims and tourists gathered in the courtyard below. To me, it is a very bizarre ritual. The current Kumari, Aryatara Shakya, was chosen in September 2025 to replace her predecessor, who had reached puberty. She was only two years old when she was selected. She has recently had her third birthday. It doesn't seem like much of a life for her. She is not allowed to leave the house, except on ceremonial occasions. When she does go out, her feet are not allowed to touch the ground. She must be carried everywhere. The power of the Kumari is perceived to be so strong that even a glimpse of her is believed to bring good fortune. Even though her irregular appearances last only a few seconds, the atmosphere in the courtyard is charged with devotion and awe when they do occur. Certainly, people in the crowd when I was there were visibly moved when she did appear, crying and wailing and appearing to pray to her, a three-year-old child!

Visitors are not allowed to take photos of the Kumari. Indeed, guards in the courtyard make sure that all phones and cameras are put away in bags and pockets before they will allow her to appear.

This was the end of what had been a fascinating walking tour. Sandip and I went for lunch together at a rooftop restaurant next door to where I went yesterday. I had chicken momos and buffalo meatballs. I couldn't finish either of them, so got the leftovers packed up to have later. During our conversation, Sandip mentioned that Holi is celebrated here tomorrow, unlike in India, where it is on Tuesday. I have booked a cooking class for tomorrow, but I really want to see Holi, so I quickly messaged the cooking school and moved my class to Tuesday.

After lunch, Sandip and I parted company. I went to buy some bits and pieces, and then went back to the hotel. I didn't need to eat anything else, so yesterday's and today's leftovers will have to roll over to tomorrow 😄.Read more