The Life of a Goddess

making an offering to the goddess                                                  screen shot

"Going to festivals, that's the best part of being a goddess." So says Chanira Bajracharya, a former living goddess of Nepal. The goddess, or Kumari (which means "virgin"), believed to be the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga, is venerated by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal (video): http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27906038
   One's astrological sign and several physical features, like eye color and voice, determine one's eligibility for goddess status. Girls are chosen in toddlerhood and remain until puberty. The ease of their reintegration into everyday life depends in large part on where they live. In some areas, Kumari are basically home-schooled, in others, not so much (lots of photos): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/25/kumari-nepal-living-goddess_n_5107543.html