BHAKTAPUR, Oct 11: People in large numbers received tika from the Kumari, who is considered the living goddess, at Taleju in Bhaktapur today on the occasion of the Bijaya Dashami festival. 

The chief of the Taleju Temple Narendra Prasad Joshi, priests, the Joshis and Karmacharyas received tika and blessings from the Kumari, Jeebika Bajracharya, at the auspicious hour of 8.45 am. 

The Kumari then offered tika to the members of the general public. Kumari is considered the embodiment of goddess Taleju and worshipped as the living goddess. 

Legend has it that King Jaya Prakash Malla of the Malla dynasty used to play dice with the Taleju Bhawani during the 17th century AD. But it once happened that the King saw the goddess Taleju with lecherous eyes while playing dice and the goddess vanished from the scene. 

The King is said to have pleaded with the goddess for forgiveness and the goddess gave word that she would appear once in a year on the day of the Nawami on the occasion of the Bijaya Dashami. So, the people visit Kumari and receive tika and blessings from her on the occasion in the belief that the goddess Taleju Bhawani has appeared. RSS 

 
• people
 
• receive
 
• tika
 
• living
 
• goddess
 
• kumari