Nepals child goddess gets her divinity back

Nepal s child goddess, who broke with centuries of custom by travelling overseas, and was stripped of her title for that breach, has got her divinity back after her family spent three anxious weeks negotiating with authorities, insisting she had done nothing wrong.

Kathmandu, July 20 : Nepal 's child goddess, who broke with centuries of custom by travelling overseas, and was stripped of her title for that breach, has got her divinity back after her family spent three anxious weeks negotiating with authorities, insisting she had done nothing wrong.

According to The Independent, the effort finally paid off this week when 10-year-old Sajani Shakya flew home this week to a noisy and colourful reception. But she had to undergo a special cleansing ritual before being told that her deity status remained intact.

"I'm very happy," said Sajani, after undergoing the ritual at her family's home in Bhaktapur.

Sajani is one of more than a dozen child goddesses or "Kumaris" traditionally worshipped by the Newari, an ethnic minority from Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. Chosen between the ages of two and four and only after passing 32 selection tests which include having a "golden colour" and a body "like a banyan tree", the little girls are worshipped by Buddhists and Hindus alike, with people seeking the Kumaris' blessing or help. With the onset of menstruation, the girls lose their deity-status.

Sajani and her family fell foul of the local guild which oversees the Kumaris when she travelled to Washington in June to attend the US premiere of a British documentary, Living Goddess, which explores the Kumari tradition. "We sought the permission of everyone we thought we needed to get the permission of," said Marc Hawker, the producer.

While Sajani was unaware of the drama unfolding back home - her parents and guardian having decided not to tell her - officials announced they would seek another girl to replace her.

But, after lobbying from the film-makers and members of the local community, the authorities relented and indicated Sajani would be permitted to continue as a goddess.

According to the paper, the precise reason for the guild's initial decision is unclear and there are suggestions that some officials may have been jealous of the attention Sajani received on her trip. There was also concern that she may have become "contaminated" while in the US as a result of eating food cooked in a kitchen that had prepared beef.

Her family was able to assure the authorities that Sajani's meals were specially prepared by a Nepalese chef in Washington. A five-star hotel in the city even agreed to send a letter stating she had not eaten any food prepared by the hotel.

The Kumari tradition dates back hundreds of years, involves the King of Nepal traditionally seeking the blessings of the goddesses of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.

Last year human rights campaigners filed a lawsuit to halt the practice, and the government has ordered a commission to investigate.

ANI