The boundary between Goddess and girl

The Kumari is believed to be inhabited by goddesses such as Durga, Taleju, and Kali from Hinduism, and Vajra Devi and Basundara Devi from Buddhism. While they are vessels for the divine, they are also ordinary girls. Local Kumaris, when not performing their duties and not wearing their Kumari attire, can be seen in the endearing, everyday appearance of ordinary girls.

Kumaris are traditionally forbidden from laughing or showing emotion, as their every action is said to foreshadow future events. Because Kumari are goddesses and omniscient and omnipotent beings, it is impossible for humans to teach them, and during their tenure, they were rarely given opportunities to study. Therefore, the lives of retired Kumaris were extremely difficult, but improvements have been made, and the right to study is now protected even during their tenure. Royal Kumari cannot leave the kumari house, so tutors come to her house; my first encounter with Panauti Kumari was at the school she attended.

Currently, local Kumaris attend school, and glimpses into their daily lives can be seen through social media. Sometimes, you can even see her dancing to popular music. I believe that the Kumari’s divinity is amplified precisely because she is an unknown being, isolated from the daily lives of ordinary people. After being chosen as Kumari, the Royal Kumari lives in the depths of the kumari house, away from her parents, and only leaves the house 13 times a year. Naturally, she doesn’t share her life on social media, and when she does appear outside the house, the frenzy of the people is as if she were a national idol. While the Royal Kumari responds to the strong faith of the people as a living goddess, it can also be said that she sacrifices many of her rights as a child. This has led to lawsuits and is currently being exposed to the changing times.

Personally, I want the divinity of the living goddess Kumari to be strongly maintained. However, if this can only be achieved at the expense of children, there will come a time when it will not be able to keep up with the changing times. How can we balance protecting the rights of children who become vessels for the goddess, with preserving and passing on the existence of the living goddess Kumari with her strong divinity?

How can we achieve both? In Japan, the COVID-19 pandemic was a major trigger, disrupting the delicate balance that had been maintained until then, and we have seen numerous traditional festivals forced to change or be canceled in response to the changing times.

Nepal is also facing significant changes. Drones are flying all over Kumari during festivals. Is that okay? I can’t help but wonder. How will the tradition of the goddess Kumari, who lived through such a time of great change, be preserved? This will greatly influence the future of Nepal as a country. I hope that the truly important essence will be passed down without becoming a mere formality. What about Japan today?
Are the important things being properly passed down?