KATHMANDU, Oct. 21: The Living Goddess Kumari was taken to the Taleju Bhawani Temple at Hanumandhoka in Kathmandu on Tuesday night for a traditional ritual believed to bestow divine strength and blessings.
The ritual was performed in accordance with Tantric and Vedic traditions, reflecting the long-standing religious and cultural practices of the Kathmandu Valley.
Gautam Shakya, manager of Kumari Ghar, said Kumari was escorted from her residence to the Taleju Temple complex in a ceremonial chariot procession for the ritual.
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For the occasion, the idol of Goddess Taleju Bhawani was brought from the temple to the Mul Chowk courtyard of Hanumandhoka Palace, where the ritual was performed, Shakya said.
Located within the historic Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Taleju Bhawani Temple is an important religious and cultural shrine in Kathmandu. The temple is traditionally open to the general public only once a year, on Maha Nawami, the ninth day of the Dashain festival.
Taleju Bhawani has long been revered as the tutelary deity of the Malla kings of the Kathmandu Valley, and her worship remains an integral part of the valley's religious heritage.
Likewise, Kumari, worshipped as a living goddess and regarded by devotees as an embodiment of divine feminine power associated with Taleju Bhawani, holds a special place in Nepal's religious traditions.
The Kumari tradition is rooted in the belief that the goddess manifests herself in a young girl selected according to established religious and cultural criteria. The ritual visit to Taleju Bhawani reflects the traditional spiritual connection between the Living Goddess and the deity she represents.
Devotees believe that the ceremony enables Kumari to receive divine blessings and strength, underscoring a centuries-old tradition that continues to shape Kathmandu's cultural and religious life.