> KATHMANDU (Nov 25, 2006): For eight years, Rashmila Shakya , now 23,
> was Kathmandu's "Kumari" or 'Virgin Goddess', the embodiment of an
> ancient tradition in Nepal.
>
> A Kumari's reign ends when she reaches puberty. She is then ritually
> divested of her exalted status and expected to return to "normal" life.
>
> Rashmila, the only Kumari to be a graduate, has travelled abroad and
> co-authored (with Scott Berry) a book, "From Goddess to Mortal." She
> spoke to Sudeshna Sarkar:
>
> Q: How does it feel to go from being a goddess to a graduate?
>
> A: I feel that I have lived two lives in one lifetime. When I was
> Kumari, I was regarded as a goddess. People had to do whatever I asked
> them to and, when I went out, everyone would come to gape at me or
> offer worship or take photographs. Which little girl would not like so
> much attention?
>
> When my tenure was over, I missed the attention. I began school at 12,
> when I was put in Grade II with five- or six-year-olds. In school,
> people knew I was a former Kumari and would gape at me. As I adjusted,
> I realised it was nice to be Rashmila.
>
> Q: You are the only Kumari to have written about your own experiences.
> How did that come to be?
>
> A: I was exasperated by the patently wrong and lurid stories
> circulated about Kumaris and I wanted to set the record straight. When
> I was living in Kumari Che (palace), Scott Berry's daughters used to
> visit me and play with me. Years later, they chanced upon a photograph
> of me as Kumari.
>
> Soon, we were back in touch. One day, Berry asked me what I would like
> to do. I said I would like to do something about the misconceptions
> about Kumaris, and he offered to co-author the book with me.
>
> Q: It must have been very painful adjusting to normal life after being
> a goddess...
>
> A: It was not easy, but my family supported me all through. In fact,
> my father (Surya Ratna Shakya, an archaeologist) agreed to let me be a
> Kumari only after resolving that, unlike most Kumaris, I would
> continue my education when I returned home.
>
> After my stint as Kumari, when I was feeling disoriented, my family
> took me to meet an earlier Kumari. She did nothing but experiment with
> make-up in front of her mirror all day long.
>
> She did no housework either, as her relatives thought it was below the
> dignity of a goddess. I knew I would die of boredom. My parents
> enrolled me in school and the pressure to catch up with my peers was a
> big help.
>
> Q: Since the Kumari system plays such havoc with a young girl's life,
> do you think it should be scrapped?
>
> A: Like Mt Everest, it is one of our prime tourist attractions. The
> most important issue is education. The earlier Kumaris were not
> educated and encouraged to stand on their own feet because there was
> no concept of educating women.
>
> However, things have vastly improved now. Kumaris are now tutored in
> the school curriculum by a teacher from a government school.
>
> SOURCE: Women's Feature Service, Times of India
> URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/560787.cms
> PURCHASE INFO FOR BOOK:
> https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no40963.htm
