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Kathmandu, officially the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, is the seat of federal government and the most populous city in Nepal. As of the 2021 Nepal census, there were 845,767 inhabitants living in 105,649 households and approximately 4 million people in its surrounding agglomeration. It is located in the Kathmandu Valley, a large valley surrounded by hills in central Nepal, at an altitude of 4,344 feet above sea level.
Kumari, Kumari Devi, or the Living Goddess is the tradition of worshipping a chosen virgin as manifestations of the divine female energy or Shakti in Dharmic Nepali religious traditions. It is believed that the girl is possessed by the goddess Taleju or Durga. The word Kumari is derived from Sanskrit meaning princess. The procession is akin to Indra or Sakra, taking Indrani to his celestial abode as his bride. The festival is celebrated during Kumari Jatra, which follows the Indra Jatra religious ceremony.
Newar, or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and the Indian territories of Sikkim state and Gorkhaland including its surrounding areas and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. The Newar are a distinct linguistic and cultural group, primarily Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman ethnicities, who share a common language, Nepal Bhasa, and predominantly practice Newar Hinduism and Newar Buddhism. Newars have developed a division of labour and a sophisticated urban civilisation not seen elsewhere in the Himalayan foothills.
Boudha Stupa ; or Jarung Kashor (Standard Tibetan: བྱ་རུང་ཀ་ཤོར།, Wylie: bya rung ka shor), also known as Khasti Chaitya or Khāsa Chaitya, is a stupa and major spiritual landmark seen as the embodiment of the enlightened mind of all the Buddhas, located in Boudhanath, within the city of Kathmandu, Nepal. Built in the northeast of Kathmandu Valley in a Tamang village surrounded by rice paddies, the stupa gave birth to the origins of Tibetan Buddhism. It is filled with consecrated substances, and its massive mandala makes it the largest spherical stupa in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. In 1979 the Boudha Stupa became one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Nepal.
Living Goddess is a 2008 film that documents lives of three young Kumaris against the backdrop of the Nepalese Civil War. This film caused controversy at the time of its release, mostly due to the ritual sacrifice of 108 buffaloes and goats recorded in detail during the opening scene.
Madhyapur Thimi, also known as Thimi, is a municipality in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone of central Nepal. Thimi lies between Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley. It is one of the ancient cultural and historical places along the trade route from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu. The city is situated on elevated land and occupies an area of 11.47 square kilometres (4.43 sq mi), divided into nine administrative wards.
Tokha Chandeshwari is a village and former Village Development Committee that is now part of Tokha Municipality in Kathmandu District in Province No. 3 of central Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population of 3,961. Tokha Chandeshwari now is part of Tokha municipality.
About 8 km south-east from the capital of Kathmandu, Nepal on the way to Godawari, Lalitpur, there is a historically renowned village named Harisiddhi, where the Temple of Harisiddhi is located. The temple is at the height of about 4,400 ft from the sea level, whose latitude is 270˚38' north and longitude is 850˚21' east. About 800m west from the temple, there is a river named Karmanasha (Kodku). The climate at this place is normal i.e. hot in summer and cold in winter. The temple is surrounded by the residential area. There is a pond to the south-east direction of the temple which is believed to be one of the important holy-ponds i.e. Kunda.
Asan is a ceremonial, market and residential square in central Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. It is one of the most well-known historical locations in the city and is famed for its bazaar, festival calendar and strategic location. Asan has been described as a fine Newar example of a traditional Asian bazaar. The Tuladhar, Maharjan, Shrestha, Bajracharya and Shakya castes make up most of the population.
Kathmandu Durbar Square is a historically and culturally significant site in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is one of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The architectural heritage of Kathmandu city is integral to that of the Kathmandu valley since all monuments have evolved over centuries of craftsmanship influenced by Hindu and Buddhist religious practices. The architectural treasure of the Kathmandu valley has been categorized under the well known seven groups of heritage monuments and buildings. In 2006, UNESCO declared these seven groups of monuments as a World Heritage Site (WHS). The seven monuments zones cover an area of 188.95 hectares, with the buffer zone extending to 239.34 hectares. The Seven Monument Zones (Mzs) inscribed originally in 1979 with a minor modification in inscribed year as 2006, are: Five monuments in Kathmandu – Durbar square of Hanuman Dhoka, Hindu temples of Pashupatinath and Changunarayan, the Buddha stupas of Swayambu and Boudhanath; and two monuments outside Kathmandu city limits, in the satellite towns of Patan and Bhktapur – Durbar square at Patan, Durbar square at Bhaktapur. Brief details of the five Kathmandu city monuments are elaborated here.
Indra Jātrā, also known as Yenyā Punhi is the biggest religious street festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. "Ye" means the old Newari name for "Kathmandu", "Ya" means “Celebration”, and "Puhni" means full moon so together means the birthday of the old city of Kathmandu. The celebrations consist of two events, Indra Jātrā and Kumāri Jātrā. Indra Jātrā is marked by masked dances of deities and demons, displays of sacred images, and tableaus in honor of the deity Indra, the king of heaven. Kumāri Jātrā is the chariot procession of the living goddess Kumari.
Shree Swasthani is a Hindu goddess (Parameshwari) and is responsible for the good fortune, welfare and power. She is mostly worshipped in Nepal in the holy month from poush Shukla purnima to magh Shukla purnima with dedicated rituals. Following such rituals within this holy month brought many wishes to be fruitful for many. Through the reciting of story, we can find out the changes in fate provided by Goddess in the lives of several persons. But there are much more people who worships and have been satisfied by her blessings. She is a mother who loves you so much that, she will not take you go wrong path no matter the steps she takes for so. She is the creator of this universe.
Mohani, also known as Moni or Mohni is annual religious festival celebrated by the Newar people of Nepal. It is analogous to Dashain, a Hindu festival celebrated in South Asia, although Mohani celebrated by both Hindus and Buddhists. The festival is based on the lunar calendar and starts on the first day of the bright fortnight of Kaula, around late September and lasts for fifteen days till the full moon.
Samita Bajracharya is a Nepalese former Kumari of Patan, a living goddess worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists all over South Asia. They believe her to be a reincarnation of Durga, the Hindu goddess, and she is one of several holders of the title of Kumari. Appointed in October 2010, she lived in Lalitpur, Nepal, and as per tradition, continued in her role until first menstruated in 2014. In early 2014, upon reaching puberty, she undertook a ritual involving untying her hair and removing her third eye, after which she was no longer considered a goddess. As a Kumari, she was considered omniscient and thus not educated. She was not allowed to walk anywhere - her feet could not touch the ground. After becoming 'mortal' i.e. after her tenure as a Kumari, she was able to integrate in society, beginning school, walking and learning an instrument. By 2014 she was attending St Xavier School in Patan as a conventional 13-year-old student, allowed to mix socially with classmates with almost no trace of her former role crossing over into her post-Kumari life.
Gajalu is a Nepali movie that depicts the life of living goddess Kumari after her retirement. Shristi Shrestha plays the role of Sujata Shakya, a former Kumari. The movie is about her friendship with her six friends who happen to change her life. This movie is partly inspired by novel named Half Girlfriend by Chetan Bhagat.
Chanira Bajracharya is a former Kumari or Living Goddess of Patan in Nepal.
Astalaxmi Shakya is a Nepalese politician and former Chief Minister of Bagmati Province. She is first woman chief minister of Nepal. Governor Bishnu Prasad Prasain appointed Shakya as the chief minister as per Article 168 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal after she was unanimously elected parliamentary party leader of the CPN (UML) on 18 August 2021, following the resignation of outgoing chief minister Dormani Poudel, as both the parliamentary party leader and chief minister. On 9th March 2023 she was chosen as a candidate in the 2023 Nepalese vice presidential election from Communist Party of Nepal (UML).
This is a bibliography of notable works about Nepal.
The Asta Matrika Dance also called Gaan: Pyakhan is a traditional dance of Lalitpur district and is performed on the day of Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dasin festival. The dance is estimated to be 350 years old, introduced during the Malla Regime in Kathmandu valley. The dance is performed by the Shakyas and Bajracharyas community. The dance depicts the eight matrikas, namely, Kumari, Indirayeni, Bhramayani, Maheswor, Barahi, Ganesh, Chamunda and Mahalaxmi.
References
- ↑ "From Goddess to Mortal The True Life Story of a Former Royal Kumari - Page Turner - ECSNEPAL - The Nepali Way". ecs.com.np.
- ↑ Murr, Michael. "Michaels WebSite". www.michael-murr.de.
- ↑ Shakya, Rashmila (2012). From Goddess to Mortal. Jyatha, Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal: Vajra Publications. ISBN 978-99946-788-0-8.
- ↑ "To Divinity and Back: Nepal's Living Goddess Returns to Normal Life". The Wire.
- ↑ "Former Living Goddesses Struggle to Regain Normal Lives". 10 September 2012.
- ↑ "KMC felicitates 8 former Kumaris".
- ↑ "Meeting Nepal's Living Goddesses". 1 July 2014.
- ↑ Magnier, Mark (14 February 2011). "A 'living virgin goddess' comes down to earth in Nepal" – via LA Times.
- ↑ "This 7-Year-Old Is Worshipped as a Living Goddess". ABC News. 9 September 2016.
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