The Kumari is Nepal’s living goddess: a young Newar Buddhist girl worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists as an incarnation of the goddess Taleju, a form of Durga. The best known is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, who lives in the Kumari Ghar on Kathmandu Durbar Square. She is chosen as a small child from the Shakya clan, must pass the 32 “perfections”, and serves until her first period. The current Royal Kumari, Aryatara Shakya, was installed on 30 September 2025. Visitors may glimpse her at her courtyard window or during the Indra Jatra chariot festival in September, but may not photograph her.
- Who she isA living incarnation of Taleju (Durga)
- WhereKumari Ghar, Kathmandu Durbar Square (built 1757)
- Current Royal KumariAryatara Shakya, installed 30 Sep 2025
- Chosen fromShakya clan in Kathmandu, Bajracharya in Patan
- Serves untilHer first period
- Best time to see herIndra Jatra, usually September
- EntryDurbar Square ticket, about NPR 1,000 for foreigners
- PhotosNot allowed of the Kumari herself
The Kumari: All You Need to Know
When you think about must-sees in Kathmandu, I'm sure your mind doesn’t turn to real living gods and goddesses!
But did you know Nepal has living goddesses? In fact, the Kathmandu Valley has several of them. The best known are in Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and smaller Newar towns such as Bungamati keep their own. The most famous is the Royal Kumari of Kathmandu, who lives in the Kumari Ghar on Kathmandu Durbar Square and whom you may have an opportunity to see during one of your multi-day tours of Nepal during some religious festivals when she is brought out of her home. But how can there be living goddesses today? What is the meaning and history behind them? Read on!
Living Goddess
The Kumari, or Living Durga, is a virgin girl who manifests the divine female Devi. The name Kumari comes from the Sanskrit word for a young, unmarried girl. But she is much more than a young girl.
The Kumari is believed to be the reincarnation of Taleju, a manifestation of the goddess Durga. The Kumari is a prepubescent girl from the Newar Buddhist community. The Royal Kumari of Kathmandu is chosen from the Shakya clan, while Patan’s Kumari comes from the Bajracharya clan, and she is worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists alike.
But How Did this Practise Begin?
Worship of virgins appears to have been taking place in Nepal for more than 2,000 years, yet the worship of a living Kumari is usually traced to the later Malla period, in the 17th and 18th centuries. Naturally, there are many legends regarding the start of this tradition. Interestingly, most of the legends involve one king in particular, with the most popular being that King Jayaprakash Malla (the last Malla king of Kathmandu, from a dynasty that ruled the valley from the 13th to the 18th century) began playing a dice game every evening in his chambers with the goddess Taleju. Taleju had sworn the king to secrecy: no one should know she came nightly to play dice. However, one night the king’s wife entered the chamber and saw Taleju. This made the goddess angry, who said if the king wanted her to continue to protect his country, he would have to search for her among the Newari (Shakya) community. She stated she would be incarnated as a little girl in that community. This led to the king's search for the young girl who possessed Taleju’s spirit. Jaya Prakash Malla also built the Kumari Ghar, the goddess’s carved home on Durbar Square, in 1757.
Photo: Kumari Ghar (Kumari Bahal), the Kumari’s home on Kathmandu Durbar Square
How Is the Kumari Chosen and How Long Does She Serve?
Let me answer the second part of the question first. The young girl selected to be Kumari remains a goddess until her first period, or until a serious illness or injury makes her lose blood. At this point, the goddess Taleju leaves the sitting Kumari, and a successor must be found.
So, how do they go about selecting the next Kumari? The Shakya clan’s traditional trade is gold and silver smithing. The search begins there. The girl must be in excellent health, having never had a disease or shed blood. She also should not have blemishes (i.e., birthmarks) or have lost her teeth. These are the basic requirements. Then comes the harder stuff. Now she must pass the Battis Lakshana or thirty-two perfections required by a goddess. Seemingly, a goddess must have:
- A neck like a conch shell
- A body like a banyan tree
- Eyelashes like a cow
- Thighs like a deer
- Chest like a lion
- Voice soft and clear as a duck's
And also, very black eyes and hair, with small hands and feet and a full set of 20 teeth.
The girl’s horoscope is read, as it is important that it complements the king’s. Although since there is no longer a king in Nepal (the monarchy ended in 2008), I don’t know whose horoscope it must complement! Her family is also closely looked at.
Having gotten this far, there are more tests to ensure she is fearless. Remember, the girl is often only 2 to 5 years old when all this is happening. According to popular accounts, her next test takes place during Dashain, on Kalratri (the eighth night), when 108 buffaloes and goats are sacrificed to the goddess. The potential Kumari is taken to the Taleju temple, with severed animal heads and blood scattered around. In the candlelight, this must be quite terrifying, especially with masked dancers roaming around. If she shows no fear, she is considered to have the qualities of Taleju. If she shows fear, the next candidate is brought in to experience this strange ritual.
But it doesn’t end there. The next test consists of spending the night alone among the heads of the goats and buffaloes without showing fear. If she passes this test, she must be able to pick out the personal belongings of the previous Kumari. She is truly the goddess if she can recognize these items among an array of other items!
Former Kumaris have said that some of these stories are exaggerated, and the priests keep the exact rites to themselves, so treat the details as tradition rather than a fixed script. The newest Royal Kumari, Aryatara Shakya, was installed on 30 September 2025, during Dashain, at two years and eight months old. She took over from Trishna Shakya, who had been the Kumari since 2017.
Purification and Looking Like a Goddess
Now she has been chosen, there are purifying rites to go through to cleanse her of her past experiences. Dressed in the Kumari's traditional make-up, she enters her new home, where she will live for the duration of her time as a goddess. Her family visits only occasionally, and she can only play with a selected few children. She always wears the red and gold of the Kumari and has an agni chakshu (fire eye) painted on the forehead.
Photo: a Kumari in her red dress and fire-eye make-up
Daily Life as a Living Goddess
She will never wear shoes, nor will her feet touch the ground outside the Kumari Ghar: she is carried, or walks on cloth laid out for her. She is expected to be serene always, because a bad-tempered goddess is a bad omen.
She has some ceremonial duties, including receiving people, government officials, and the sick. Her reactions to the visitors are watched closely as it is believed that how she responds predicts their future lives. Traditionally, her reactions are read like this:
- Crying or loud laughter: serious illness or death
- Weeping or rubbing eyes: imminent death
- Trembling: imprisonment
- Hand clapping: reason to fear the king (or whoever it is nowadays)
- Picking at food offerings: financial losses
If the Kumari remains silent and impassive throughout the audience, this is a sign that the visitors’ wishes have been granted.
Since even a glimpse of the Kumari is seen to be very fortunate, crowds of people wait below her window. There is more opportunity to see her when she is paraded in her chariot during festivals. Ask your Nepal tour agency to provide an easy walking tour of the Kumari house. Visitors can step into the courtyard, Kumari Chowk, on a Kathmandu Durbar Square ticket, but photographing the Kumari herself is not allowed.
Other than her ‘official duties’, her life is quite simple. She does not have to do anything but is looked after by her caretakers, who see to her every need. While they cannot order her to do anything, they must guide her through her goddess life. In the past, the Kumari was not educated: why would a goddess need that since she sees everything? But in 2008 Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled that Kumaris keep their rights as children, including education, so the transition back to a mortal life is less hard on the child. Some Kumaris attend school while others, including the Royal Kumari in Kathmandu, study with private tutors inside the Kumari Ghar.
Life After Being a Kumari
Once the girl reaches puberty, she is no longer considered Kumari and returns to her family and normal life. But as you can imagine, having been taken care of and lived this unique lifestyle since she was a very young child, it must be really hard to fit into normal society.
In the past, Kumaris did not marry as it was considered bad luck and most likely a death sentence for a man to marry an ex-goddess. Today that belief has faded, and many former Kumaris have married. Since 2014, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has also paid retired Kumaris a monthly allowance (NPR 10,000 when the scheme began) for ten years after they step down.
Chanira Bajracharya, Patan’s Kumari from 2001 to 2010, remembers how difficult it was to adjust to the real world when she stepped down at 15. “I did not know how to join a conversation, could not understand how people behaved; everything was strange.”
Modern Times
I'm quite sure in the past, ex-Kumaris were never heard of outside their immediate community, but times change! Rashmila Shakya, the Royal Kumari from 1984 to 1991, has written an autobiography, From Goddess to Mortal (Vajra Publications, 2005), about her time as a goddess, which no doubt explains many myths and mysteries.
And some years ago Chanira was planning to form a support group for ex-Kumaris. I don’t know whether she achieved this or not. How strange to think goddesses need support groups just like us, mere mortals!
The easiest time to see the Kumari is at her window in Kathmandu Durbar Square (our Kathmandu attractions guide covers the visit), and the most spectacular is Indra Jatra, usually in September (it began on 25 September in 2026), when she is drawn through the old city on her chariot and, by tradition, the head of state receives her blessing.
How to See the Kumari in Kathmandu
Most visitors try to see the Royal Kumari in one of these ways. None is guaranteed, because her appearances depend on ritual timing, not a tourist timetable.
| Option | When | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Kumari Chowk window | Any day, no fixed times | She may appear for a moment at the carved window above the courtyard. No photos while she is there. |
| Indra Jatra chariot | Usually September (25, 26 and 29 Sep in 2026) | She rides her chariot through the old city with the chariots of Ganesh and Bhairav. Huge crowds. |
| Dashain and other festivals | Autumn and a few set days a year | Rare public appearances tied to festival rites. Dates change each year with the lunar calendar. |
- Ticket. The Kumari Ghar sits inside the Kathmandu Durbar Square zone, which charges foreign visitors about NPR 1,000. Fees change, so check at the booth.
- Respect. Keep your voice down in the courtyard, don’t point or call out, and put your camera away when she appears.
- Dress. Covered shoulders and knees are polite at any temple site in the Kathmandu Valley.
Kumari Timeline: Key Dates
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1757 | Jaya Prakash Malla builds the Kumari Ghar on Kathmandu Durbar Square |
| 1984 to 1991 | Rashmila Shakya serves as Royal Kumari (her memoir followed in 2005) |
| 2008 | Supreme Court rules that Kumaris keep their rights to education and free movement, and Matina Shakya is chosen at about age 3 |
| 2014 | Kathmandu Metropolitan City starts a monthly allowance for retired Kumaris |
| 2017 | Trishna Shakya becomes Royal Kumari |
| 30 Sep 2025 | Aryatara Shakya, aged two years and eight months, is installed as the new Royal Kumari |
How Long Recent Royal Kumaris Served
Years in office for the recent Royal Kumaris of Kathmandu whose dates are well documented. A Kumari usually serves from early childhood until puberty.
| Royal Kumari | Years | Time served |
|---|---|---|
| Rashmila Shakya | 1984 to 1991 | about 7 years |
| Matina Shakya | 2008 to 2017 | about 9 years |
| Trishna Shakya | 2017 to 2025 | about 8 years |
| Aryatara Shakya | 2025 to now | serving |
See the Kumari Ghar With Swotah
Swotah’s Kathmandu sightseeing days include Kathmandu Durbar Square, where the Kumari Ghar stands, alongside Patan, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath.
- Best of Nepal Tour, 12 days, from USD 1,010 per person (group departure): Kathmandu’s World Heritage sites, Pokhara and Chitwan.
- Photography Tour in Nepal, 10 days, from USD 1,099 per person (group departure): Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square, Patan and Bhaktapur at the best light.
Swotah can arrange either as a private trip, timed around Indra Jatra if you want to see the Kumari’s chariot.
Kumari FAQs
Who is the current Kumari of Kathmandu?
Aryatara Shakya, who was installed as Royal Kumari on 30 September 2025 at two years and eight months old. She replaced Trishna Shakya, who had served since 2017.
How is the Kumari chosen?
Priests look for a healthy young girl from the Shakya clan with no scars or lost teeth, check the 32 “perfections” and her horoscope, and test her calm during Dashain rites. By tradition she must also recognise the belongings of the previous Kumari.
Can tourists see the Kumari?
Yes, sometimes. She may appear briefly at the window of Kumari Chowk on Kathmandu Durbar Square, and she rides through the old city during Indra Jatra, usually in September. Her appearances are not scheduled for visitors.
Can you take photos of the Kumari?
No. You may photograph the Kumari Ghar building and courtyard, but not the Kumari herself.
Is the Kumari Hindu or Buddhist?
Both. She comes from a Newar Buddhist family and is worshipped by Hindus as the goddess Taleju, which makes her one of the clearest examples of how the two faiths overlap in Nepal.
