Eight-year-old Trishna Shakya, Nepal’s revered living goddess, the Kumari, made a striking appearance as she was carried aloft from her temple palace. Adorned in ceremonial finery, she then rode a garlanded chariot through the capital’s streets, captivating tens of thousands gathered for the start of the Indra Jatra festival on Saturday.
Devotees lifted their phones to capture the moment, seeking blessings from the young goddess, who has served in her sacred role since the age of three, residing in the Kumari's temple palace for the past five years. With thick vermillion paste on her forehead framing a golden representation of her "third eye," Kumari’s wooden chariot was pulled by worshippers through the thronging crowds.
