A Goddess on Earth

The practice of the Living Goddess, or Kumari Devi, is one which represents the dispersion of Divine Consciousness over all of Creation. Because the world, and every one of its aspects, are believed to have sprung from the womb of Durga (the Supreme/Mother Goddess and the most powerful deity in Hindu theology and cosmology), she is said to exist equally in all parts of the Universe, both animate and inanimate. Therefore, while the worshiping of the Goddess through idols represents her followers' recognition of her Divinity via the inanimate, the worshiping of her through a human vessel represents the recognition and reverence of the presence of Divinity in all conscious beings. Although Durga is said to be manifest as Shakti (meaning sacred force or empowerment) in the bodies of all female living beings in the universe, the purity and chastity of a female child is believed to provide the perfect vessel for the Goddess' manifestation as the innocence of the child is said to be representative of the state of Universal consciousness.

According to legend, the practice began fairly recently in the 12th Century CEin Nepal. King Trailokya Malla sought the patronage of the Goddess Durga who appeared to him every night in human form. There they would discuss matters of welfare of the country while playing the tripasa. One night, the king, in a moment of rashness, made a sexual advance upon the Goddess which greatly angered her. The Goddess left the Kingdom and decreed that the King would never see her again and that she would stop protecting his country. The king in his regret worshiped and pleaded for the Goddess to return. Eventually Durga relented and decreed that She would manifest in the body of a pure female child and continue to offer her blessings if the King and his people continued to respect and revere that purity.

Consequently the practice of Kumari Devi may be understood as the worshiping of young prepubescent girls as vessels for the manifestation of female divinity. The term Kumari Devi is a derivative of two Sanskrit terms: Kaumarya meaning "virgin", and Devi which refers to Divine female energy. The child who is selected to function as a vessel for this energy is known as the Kumari, or Living Goddess. In many parts of India, the Kumari will only be chosen for a day, during certain festivals and rituals, but in certain Northern States as well as Nepal, the Kumari mau function as the vessel of Durga for extended periods of time.

Children who are recognized as suitable vessels for Durga are put through a series of tests in order to discern if they possess various qualities thought to be representative of the Goddess. Physically the child must be in excellent health. She must never had shed any blood (that of herself and of other living beings) nor must she have been afflicted by any diseases. In addition to these physical traits, the Kumari must possess the qualities of fearlessness and serenity. Once the vessel has been chosen, the Kumari undergoes sacred Tantric rituals within a temple consecrated to Durga to cleanse her body and spirit of her past experiences. When the rituals are complete, she opens herself up to the visitation of Devi, of Female Divinity. From there on out, the child will be known as Kumari and will be revered and respected as if she were a Goddess on earth.

In Nepal the Kumari will live out the reign of her Divinity (which will last only until she has menstruated) in various palaces dedicated to the Goddess on earth the most famous of which is the Kumari Ghar, an impressive structure located in the center of the city of Kathmandu that will be her home for the entire duration of her Divinity. Once thus installed into her seat of power, the Kumari will only leave her palace on formal occasions and interact with the public only in a formal capacity. Some Kumari are permitted to attend public school and interact with other children her age but most are educated by private tutors and will find her circle of friends in the children of her respective caretakers, the Kumarini. The Kumarini are not permitted to give the Kumari orders or force her to do anything she refuses but must instead find a balanced way of addressing the Kumari's every need, desires, while giving her formal instructions in her ceremonial duties and generally offer her a guiding hand through life. The selection of specific qualities in potential vessels is thought to avoid the incident of a bad-tempered, rude, or petulant Kumari (which will result in bad fortune during her reign).

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additional note: The Kumari is the vessel for the Goddess Durga who is sometimes known as Mariamman (Goddess Amman) and also known as Navadurga, literally meaning "Nine Goddess Durga" which is a reference to her 9 facets. The 9 facets of Durga offer different levels of significance in Hindu worship and are:

1. Shailaputri: a derivative of the words putri, meaning daughter, and shaila, meaning the mountains. In this form she is said to be the Princess of the Himalayas. Her significance in this form is that she is the embodiment of the powers of the other principal Hindu deities namely Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, who are said would be rendered powerless in her absence.

2. Bharmacharini: in this form, the goddess is said to represent the qualities of knowledge and wisdom. Bharmacharini is used to describe a moderation in devotion and is a representation of the Goddess' teachings. Those who find the balance between both are said to have found the gateway to emancipation.

3. Chandraghanta: As chandraghanta the Goddess represents the aspects of bravery, strength, and fearlessness. She is appealed in this form to offer one the ability to battle demons and negative influences.

4. Kushmanda: Kushmanda is said to be the form in which the Goddess gave birth to the world. She is referenced here as the creator of the Universe and represents the knowledge of cosmic intricacies that are present in all aspects of life and of the human race.

5. Skanda Mata: Skanda Mata, literally meaning Mother of Skanda is a reference to her being the mother of Kartikeya, who was chosen by gods as the commander in chief in the war against evil.

6. Katyakani: Katyakani is an avatar of Durga that was born to the sage Kata. After undergoing long periods of austerity and penance in order to receive the grace of Durga, Kata petitioned the Supreme Goddess for a daughter in the form of a goddess. The wish was granted and Kata's daughter was born as an avatar of the Goddess Durga.

7. Kaal Ratri: Kaal Ratri represents the fierce aspect of the Goddess Durga. Her name is derivative of Kālarātri which means "black night" and Kālikā which is a reference to time thus signifying the darkness that existed before the creation of light itself. In this form Kaal Ratri is associated as an entity beyond time and thus represents the aspect of Death which is thought of as the only true state of humanity which is able to transcend the test of time. Kaal Ratri is synonymous with Kāli or Mahākālī. Kali is a powerful figure in Hindu mythology unto herself not only because she is the embodiment of death, but because it is said that each one of her implements represents the power of a principal Hindu God. Kaal Ratri therefore subsumes and is responsible for the powers of the other deities.

8. Maha Ghauri: Maha Ghauri, meaning extremely white represents intelligence, peace, compassion and tranquility. She is often petitioned to allay the fears of her supplicants and represents a power that is unfailing, fruitful and forgiving. Maha Ghauri is said to wash away the sins of the past, present, and future, and is therefore able to offer purification of karmic cycles in all aspects of life. In this form she is also popularly known as Pārvatī. Maha Ghauri is sometimes seen as synonymous to bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara which embodies the qualities of compassion and mercy.

9. Siddhidarti: The final form of Navadurga is Siddhidarti which is the embodiment of the power of healing. She represents the eight Siddhis (supernatural powers) that were acquired by Lord Shiva through his veneration of her as the Mother Goddess. The eight Siddhis in the body of Lord Shiva represent the balance of all forms of power and thus half of his body was subsequently transformed into female resulting in the birth of Shiva's feminine avatar: Ardhnarishvara