It's an ancient tradition in Nepal to select a young girl who will be worshipped as the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Taleju. There are several characteristics that the girl must exhibit in order to be chosen to occupy this role, known as Kumari. First, the girls go through a review panel with Hindu priests then they review their horoscopes and physical characteristics.
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Trishna Shakya was chosen because she didn't exhibit any body imperfections from her shoulder down. A key rule is that a goddess must not have any physical flaws. Once she reaches 12 years old, they will choose another goddess to replace her.
Several child rights activists feel that this tradition shouldn't be allowed because it prevents the girls from having a normal childhood. It's a tough battle between traditional beliefs versus civil rights.
Now 6 years-old, the Kathmandu-born girl still has another 7 years to go until she gets the opportunity to reintegrate back into society. Fortunately for her, certain parts of this tradition have evolved and the young girl was afforded an education which should ease her transition back into normal life.
Check out the video above to see this goddess for yourself!
