That's a smart former goddess and young lady. All the best to her. --- llundrub <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > > > KATHMANDU (Nov 25, 2006): For eight years, > Rashmila Shakya , now 23, > > was Kathmandu's "Kumari" or 'Virgin Goddess', the > embodiment of an > > ancient tradition in Nepal. > > > > A Kumari's reign ends when she reaches puberty. > She is then ritually > > divested of her exalted status and expected to > return to "normal" life. > > > > Rashmila, the only Kumari to be a graduate, has > travelled abroad and > > co-authored (with Scott Berry) a book, "From > Goddess to Mortal." She > > spoke to Sudeshna Sarkar: > > > > Q: How does it feel to go from being a goddess to > a graduate? > > > > A: I feel that I have lived two lives in one > lifetime. When I was > > Kumari, I was regarded as a goddess. People had to > do whatever I asked > > them to and, when I went out, everyone would come > to gape at me or > > offer worship or take photographs. Which little > girl would not like so > > much attention? > > > > When my tenure was over, I missed the attention. I > began school at 12, > > when I was put in Grade II with five- or > six-year-olds. In school, > > people knew I was a former Kumari and would gape > at me. As I adjusted, > > I realised it was nice to be Rashmila. > > > > Q: You are the only Kumari to have written about > your own experiences. > > How did that come to be? > > > > A: I was exasperated by the patently wrong and > lurid stories > > circulated about Kumaris and I wanted to set the > record straight. When > > I was living in Kumari Che (palace), Scott Berry's > daughters used to > > visit me and play with me. Years later, they > chanced upon a photograph > > of me as Kumari. > > > > Soon, we were back in touch. One day, Berry asked > me what I would like > > to do. I said I would like to do something about > the misconceptions > > about Kumaris, and he offered to co-author the > book with me. > > > > Q: It must have been very painful adjusting to > normal life after being > > a goddess... > > > > A: It was not easy, but my family supported me all > through. In fact, > > my father (Surya Ratna Shakya, an archaeologist) > agreed to let me be a > > Kumari only after resolving that, unlike most > Kumaris, I would > > continue my education when I returned home. > > > > After my stint as Kumari, when I was feeling > disoriented, my family > > took me to meet an earlier Kumari. She did nothing > but experiment with > > make-up in front of her mirror all day long. > > > > She did no housework either, as her relatives > thought it was below the > > dignity of a goddess. I knew I would die of > boredom. My parents > > enrolled me in school and the pressure to catch up > with my peers was a > > big help. > > > > Q: Since the Kumari system plays such havoc with a > young girl's life, > > do you think it should be scrapped? > > > > A: Like Mt Everest, it is one of our prime tourist > attractions. The > > most important issue is education. The earlier > Kumaris were not > > educated and encouraged to stand on their own feet > because there was > > no concept of educating women. > > > > However, things have vastly improved now. Kumaris > are now tutored in > > the school curriculum by a teacher from a > government school. > > > > SOURCE: Women's Feature Service, Times of India > > URL: > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/560787.cms > > PURCHASE INFO FOR BOOK: > > https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no40963.htm > > > To subscribe, send a message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Or go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ > and click 'Join This Group!' > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. http://new.mail.yahoo.com
