It is natural for a parent to want the best for their child. For Nepali father Pratap Man Shakya, that means sending his 3-year-old daughter away to the country's capital of Katmandu to be worshiped as the Hindu goddess Taleju. There she will be worshiped until she reaches puberty, at which point she will return to her normal life back home.
After performing various ancient ceremonies and testing the physical traits of numerous girls, a panel of judges chose Matani Shakya to be the next kumari, or living goddess. Picked for her perfect teeth, eyes, hair, and flawless skin, the youngster must also not be afraid of the dark. Once she met that criteria, she had to fearlessly spend one solo ritualistic night in a room full of slaughtered goats and buffalo heads. A pretty astonishing feat for such a tiny tot.
Would you be willing to give your child up for such a cause if it required her spending the remainder of her childhood away from you?
COUTURE COUTURE
Yoox
Catherine Malandrino
no
1No I would never subject my child to this, these girls usually after menstruating go back to thier families and have a hard time fitting in, and getting married becuase its bad luck to marry a former goddess.
PLUS we are talking forcing young girls to spend the night in a room with beheaded cows and livestock to see if they freak out or not? thats abusive.
2I saw this on MSNBC's website. I would never wish this on my child. Besides putting her in a room full of animal heads, it is said that the man that marries her will die young, so the goddess usually ends up not getting married and has a tough life. And I would miss her too much.
3wow......no...but if that what makes them "happy" more power too them, the differences between our country and theirs..
4What is she going to be like when she returns? Worshiped as a goddess for the next seven or eight years, then she has to go back to her normal village life? How would a young girl make an adjustment like that?
She'd return a complete stranger.
No. I wouldn't allow it.
5Absolutely not......
6no way
7Do the parents benefit in some way for doing this?
8It'd suck to "peak" that early in life. Besides, how could you not miss your child?
9no way that is so traumatic
10Absolutely, she already is a goddess.
Ok not really.
11Why?! That is so bizarre to me.
My daughter is 3 and I think she'd be traumatized if she even saw a PICTURE of a slaughtered lamb!!!
12other cultures are interesting aren't they??? um, no. but then i'm not of that faith so it's not an honor to me. in fact it seems cruel and freakish. come on, it's a beauty pageant in the name of religion. does their "god" only recognize the beautiful? and then at puberty she comes home and is back to a typical life. the transition will be something for that kid. like a washed up pop star.
13I have lived in Nepal before and I have been told by Nepalis that its not easy living. If the girl gets any sort of cut or injury, she is no longer allowed to be the godess -- any blood and they are sent home. Its also really difficult for them to adjust after returning home and very difficult for their other siblings as well. Its an antiquated practice!
14That little girl looks so unhappy! I would never be able to do this just for the fact that I couldn't be away from my child. Aside from that, I would want her to be touched and "worshiped" by all these strangers...its just too weird for me.
15do the parents have any choice in the matter is what i'm wondering. it's probably a disgrace and relief if the child DOES freak out...
16That is child abuse.
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