Having completed the purification processes, the girl enters the Kumari Ghar and assumes the respectable throne. After that, a completely new chapter begins in the life of the Kumari goddess. She is bound to stay within the palace, except on ceremonial occasions. Though the citizenry worships her and shows reverence, she rarely gets to meet her family and friends. The rules of the tradition compel her to always wear read attires and to paint ‘fire eye’ on her forehead which is supposed to destroy all the evils of the world. Under a special care of the appointed parents, who are not hers, the Royal Kumari’s life at the palace becomes completely different from the one she has had so far.



If we make a close observation of the life of a Kumari, there seems to be some influence of Buddhist philosophy as well. It is because like the Lord Buddha himself, the Kumari is also free from the material troubles. Since she is worshipped as the embodiment of Goddess Taleju, she has to act accordingly. It is very much important for her, especially, to maintain calmness and treat all devotees equally.



Being the whole body sacred, she cannot even touch the ground during her tenure as the Kumari. She goes out only on special occasions, not exceeding fifteen times a year when she is actually carried in her golden palanquin. Hoping to gain respite from life’s troubles, her devotees touch her sacred feet. Her position is so dignified that during the monarchy, the king himself would come and kiss the feet of the Kumari and receive blessings from her.



Among many other restrictions, she is not allowed to wear shoes throughout her tenure. They are necessarily covered with red stockings. The radical followers of this tradition believe that a mere glimpse of her brings them good fortune. Hence, a large throng can be seen waiting outside the palace to witness the Kumari pass by the latticed windows inside her palace. She appears at no particular time and passes by swiftly unless she wishes to observe the outside world that is visible from the windows of Kumari Ghar.



The impact of her divine power manifests itself when people suffering from blood and menstrual disorders visit her, looking for a divine cure. Even the bureaucrats and government officials pay her special visits. The visiting devotees give her specially prepared food offerings and the Kumari silently receives them. She does not talk directly to her devotees. Rather she offers them her feet to touch or kiss as an act of devotion. She makes different signs predicting the future of her visitors. Followings are some of the examples of her signs and their implicit meanings.



– Crying or laughing loudly: Serious illness or death – Weeping or rubbing eyes: Imminent death – Trembling: Imprisonment – Hand clapping: Reason to fear the King or the current ruler In case the living goddess remains thoroughly silent, her devotees are in ruptures believing that they have been granted their secret wishes. Some people, known as Kumarini, are appointed to fulfill the Kumari’s needs and to instruct her in different ceremonial activities. Moreover, they have the responsibilities of bathing her, dressing her, putting make-up on her and preparing her for any kind of occasion.



At the beginning of this tradition, the Kumari received no formal education even after leaving the throne. In the present also she cannot attend to any formal education throughout her stay at the Kumari Ghar. This has drawn some criticisms from the child’s rights activists in recent years. However, she can begin her education once she is done with her tenure.



Alongside being the Goddess Kumari, she can also keep private tutors, though. Upon leaving the palace, her life in school becomes no different from that of ordinary students. Though she might earn reverence as the former Kumari, nobody believes that she possess divine power. When inside the palace, she can have some playmates from the Shakya caste or Bajracharya clan. Those mates must pay her the due respect and play according to her wish. By and large, a dethroned Kumari is carried on a sedan chair and taken back to her family. After that, she can begin a normal life like that of any other ordinary people.