INDRA JATRA - KATHMANDU

INDRA JATRA

Living Goddess or Kumari

Another example of a peculiar goddess of the Kathmandu valley is the living goddess or Kumari. The worship of the virgin living goddess was instituted by Jaya Prakash Malla. Later all the three Malla Kings of Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kathmandu started worshipping the virgin goddess from the later part of the 16th century. The Kumari worship was continued by Shah rulers also. However, kingship has been abolished on May 28 2008. Kumari is very popularly worshiped by the Newars of the Kathmandu valley.

Kumari is also included among mother goddess and is regarded as incarnation of Kali.