Aryatara Shakya, at two years and eight months, was chosen as the new Kumari, replacing her predecessor who, by tradition, returns to a mortal life upon reaching puberty.
The Kumari, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists, is selected between the ages of two and four based on strict criteria such as flawless skin, eyes, teeth, and fearlessness. Worshippers regard the living goddess as a divine embodiment, wheeling her through the city on a chariot during major religious festivals. Always dressed in red with a painted third eye, the Kumari blesses devotees who line up to touch her feet with their foreheads, the highest form of respect in Nepal.
