A seven-year-old girl in Nepal was selected to be a living and breathing goddess when she was just a toddler due to having ‘eyelashes like a cow’ and a ‘voice as clear as a duck.’
The goddess or Kumari continues the centuries-old tradition of child deities living among mortals in Nepal where she is worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists alike.
At the Hindu festival of rain in July thousands came to pay their respects to the child including the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who had to bow and scrape to the child when the pair met.
‘When my daughter was selected as a Kumari, I felt very happy,’ her father, Ramesh Bajracharya, said through a translator. ‘It’s because Kumari is hugely regarded and respected living goddess in Nepal.’
The girl’s parents left their jobs in the town of Patan to become full-time carers to their daughter which has proven to be a tricky task as the Kumari are not permitted to leave their homes, except for special occasions, and her feet are never allowed to touch the floor.
To become a Kumari, which means ‘unmarried girl’ or ‘virgin,’ children must meet very specific criteria such as sporting ‘eyelashes like a cow,’ ‘thighs like a deer,’ and a ‘voice as clear as a duck.’
Even if the youngster has all of the aforementioned characteristics her astrological chart must be considered favorable to the King of Nepal’s.
Once a girl is chosen, she is considered an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga.
However Yunika shouldn’t get used to Prime Ministerial visits, adoring crowds and the opulent lifestyle that goes with her current status because as soon as the Kumari hit puberty they revert back to a being normal member of society.
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
