Nepal’s Living Goddess Tradition Exposes Clash Between Ancient Rituals and Modern Liberty
A two-year-old girl in Nepal was enthroned as the Kumari, or living goddess, spotlighting a tradition that raises questions about individual liberty and child welfare under age-old customs.
In the heart of Kathmandu, Nepal’s centuries-old tradition of worshipping a living goddess continues unabated. Aryatara Shakya, only two years and eight months old, was chosen this week to replace the former Kumari—a girl revered as divine until puberty—during one of the nation’s most significant Hindu festivals.
Can Child Reverence Eclipse Fundamental Freedoms?
The Kumari selection process demands perfection: unblemished skin, fearless temperament, and purity from select Newar clans. Once chosen, these young girls live isolated lives within temple palaces, revered as goddesses but denied normal childhoods. For several years, their movements are tightly controlled; playmates are few and public appearances rare outside religious observances.
While this ancient ritual holds cultural significance for Nepalese Hindus and Buddhists alike, it starkly contrasts with core American values of individual liberty and child welfare. How can we reconcile honoring tradition with protecting a child’s freedom to grow without confinement?
Why Should America Care About Nepal’s Customs?
This seemingly distant practice offers a lens into global challenges where ancient customs persist despite evolving human rights norms. As America leads on human dignity and personal liberty worldwide, turning a blind eye to such rituals undermines our commitment to universal freedoms.
Moreover, allowing government or religious institutions unchecked authority over children risks setting dangerous precedents—even in our own communities—where state or group power eclipses parental rights and individual autonomy.
Despite recent reforms granting retired Kumaris education access and modest pensions, many face social stigmas including myths about marriage prospects. This reveals how cultural inertia resists progress toward empowering women—an issue at odds with America’s championing of gender equality.
By examining these traditions critically through an America First perspective—prioritizing human dignity alongside respect for sovereignty—we underscore the imperative for all societies to protect children’s rights prominently above symbolic rituals.