Nepal is a beautiful and very spiritual country with many long standing traditions, some involving children. One such tradition is that of the Kumaris. The Kumaris is an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess of Power, Kali. She protects Hindus and Buddhists from evil and peforms various blessings. The Goddess is sought out as infant to toddler, and is required to pass a 32 stage test. Once she passes, she is then transformed into Goddesses. With this status, she is removed from her parents home to live full time in a temple, she is not permitted to attend school, she is to be carried at all times without herr feet ever touching the ground, and she is not to leave the confines of the temple unless it is related to her Goddess duties (13 times a years). The Goddess child is carried or moved about in chariots she become women. She is much too special for her feet to touch the ground. Upon menstruation, the Goddess transform back a girl and begins to live a 'normal' life. She must first learn how to walk safely, then she may attend school. She will once again move in with her parents, take her hair down, wash off her painted 3rd eye and will enjoy hopefully enjoy a typical life. The girl is never compensated for her years of work. Child advocacy agencies in Nepal believe this is a form of child abuse and the issue is being taken up in the courts.
she's free!
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