I was taken in with the story of the Kumari Devi, or Royal Kumari. Kumari Devi is said to be a living goddess by the Newari people of Nepal. She is chosen on the basis of strict physical conditions from the gold/silver caste. She must be at least four years old and prepubescent. Her reign ends when she has her first menstrual period (or if she loses a lot of blood for any other reason). After reaching puberty the Kumari Devi returns to being just a normal person. A new Kumari Devi is then chosen.
I got about as close to the Kumari Devi as any visitor to Kathmandu's Durbar Square can. She lives in the Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Godess) which sits adjacent to Kathmandu's Durbar Square. The Kumari Bahal was built in 1757 and is a remarkable structure. The building is adorned with carvings of various Hindu symbols and mythical figures.
You enter through a front entrance into a smallish courtyard (Kumari Chowk). The courtyard allows views of the carved wooden balconies and shut windows. I could hear voices inside the house while I looked around the courtyard.
The Kumari Devi and her family live inside but strict rules keep non-Hindus and all foreigners from seeing her. The sign pictured here was prominent enough for me.
I did however stare at the windows for a long time. I wonder what Mooi might say about all of this. Maybe that is a conversation best left for a time when he is buying drinks. Oh man, I feel a Reiki ass kicking coming over the ocean towards me ;)
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