NEPAL, October 1, 2025 (The Daily Jagran): A two-and-a-half-year-old girl has been chosen as Nepal’s new Kumari, or Living Goddess. Arya Tara Shakya assumed the traditional Kumari throne on Tuesday. She officially entered the Kumari House, located in Basantapur in the heart of Kathmandu, during a special ceremony held at an auspicious time on Tuesday, according to Uddhav Karmacharya, a priest at the Taleju Bhawani Temple in Kathmandu. Kumari is considered the human form of Goddess Taleju in Hanumandhoka, Kathmandu. Today, the Living Goddess has become one of the main attractions for foreign visitors to Kathmandu. There is a tradition of Nepal’s president worshipping the Living Goddess and receiving her blessing during the Indrajatra festival, which falls in August.

The Kumari is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. Although the Shakya community, from which the Kumari is selected, is considered Buddhist, the Kumari is revered as a Hindu Goddess. This duality symbolises the centuries-old religious harmony that exists in Nepal. The tradition of worshipping the Living Goddess, or Kumari, dates back approximately 500 to 600 years, during the reign of the Malla Kings. However, the tradition of parading the Kumari in a special chariot through the core areas of Kathmandu began during the time of the last Malla King, Jaya Prakash Malla, in the mid-18th century. The Kumari Ghar, or the special house for the Kumari, was also constructed during this period. The former Kumari Trishna Shakya, now aged 11 years old, left on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters. She became the living Goddess in 2017.

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https://www.thedailyjagran.com/world/nepal-two-year-old-living-goddess-kumari-aryatara-shakya-a-life-of-divine-isolation-and-myths-10270785

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