A Kumari Speaks: 'I Have Lived Two Lives in One Lifetime'

[Guest guest]

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