KATHMANDU, Sep 30: Newly appointed Kumari Aaryatara Shakya has assumed the traditional Kumari throne on Tuesday.
A formal ceremony was scheduled for Aryatara to take her seat as the Living Goddess Kumari between 12:05 PM to 12:15 PM. Alongside this, the outgoing Kumari, Trishna Shakya, was given a ceremonial farewell accompanied by traditional music and festivities.
Aryatara Shakya, a resident of Itumbahal, Kathmandu, has been selected as the new Kumari following a rigorous selection process by Shakya Mahavihar Association.
Aaryatara appointed the new Kumari in Kathmandu
The selection process for the Kumari, also popularly known as the living goddess, goes through meticulous and deeply religious methods. The association responsible for the selection worked for nearly two years to finalize a suitable candidate. Official letters were sent to 15 bahals (traditional monastic courtyards) in the capital, requesting recommendations for eligible girls. Aryatara was chosen after consultations and coordination with the Guthi Sansthan (Trust Corporation), the Panchang (astrological calendar) Decision Committee, and other concerned bodies decided to appoint two-and-a-half-year-old Aaryatara the new Kumari.
She will now be enthroned at her residence at the revered Kumari Ghar (Kumari House).
According to Gautam Shakya, coordinator of the Kumari Ghar Management Committee, the new Kumari was taken to the Taleju Bhawani temple for a ritual visit with a special musical procession.
Kumari, who is worshipped as a living goddess, is also regarded as a symbol of Goddess Mahalakshmi. It is believed that the tradition of the Living Goddess was established by then-King Jayaprakash Malla around the mid-18th century.
During the Kumari selection process, all relevant stakeholders were contacted and requested to recommend names. There is also a tradition where the head of state pays homage to the Kumari on the day of Kojagrat Purnima, the last day of Dashain.
