Goddess’s fan activities
I had known about the Kumari for a long time, ever since seeing a television special about her. She is a living goddess, a young girl, residing in the depths of a palace, before whom even the king kneels. Much about her is shrouded in mystery, and even researching her in Japan yielded many unanswered questions. In 2024, I decided to take the plunge and go meet her in person.
My first encounter was with the Kumari of Bungamati, a small village south of Kathmandu.
When the girl, dressed in a bright red dress and possessing a third eye on her forehead, was brought before me with the words, “This is the Kumari," I remember being so overwhelmed with excitement that my mind went blank. The being that had always been in the back of my mind was now before me. It was the moment my long-held dream of meeting her came true.
I performed my first puja (ritual) to pay homage to the Kumari, learning the complex procedures along the way. When paying homage to the Kumari, one is permitted to touch their forehead to her sacred feet. At that moment, the Kumari placed her hand over the worshippers’ heads, and I felt a profound sense of embrace from her hand, something I couldn’t believe came from a child. I couldn’t see because my face was downcast, but I had a strange feeling, wondering if the person sitting in front of me was really a small child. Since then, I’ve continued my search for the Kumari, meeting many of them, but there’s one moment I’ll never forget. When I visited the Kumari of Tokha, I was able to witness her preparations before the Jatra (festival). As she tied her hair, placed a third eye on her forehead, the goddess clearly emerged from within the girl, transforming into the living goddess Kumari—it was a truly special moment.
At one point, the Kumari silently gazed at me, but I couldn’t meet her eyes. I instinctively lowered my eyes and clasped my hands together. I couldn’t help but pray. Her gaze wasn’t that of a child; I felt as if she could see into the depths of my soul, and I felt a profound sense of awe. At that moment, I felt a great power within her. Perhaps that was the presence of the goddess. It’s a feeling I’ll never forget.
The Kumari is a living goddess worshipped by the Newar people, who have played a central role in building Nepalese culture in the Kathmandu Valley. She is scattered throughout the Newar settlements of the Kathmandu Valley. Where do these Kumaris reside? What are their roles? What are their characteristics? The more I try to learn, the more questions arise, making my interest endless. And the joy of actually meeting them is immense. I have met 15 Kumaris so far.
Where does this strong desire to learn about Kumaris come from? I sometimes wonder why I dedicate so much energy to this, but someone once said my enthusiasm for Kumaris is like “idol-related activities," and I thought, “Ah, that makes sense."
So this is what idol-related activities are like. My idols are the living goddesses of Nepal.
I still want to learn more about the Kumaris, and I want to learn more about Nepal through them.