Kathmandu – Around 300 small girls were worshipped as Kumaris during 504 Kumari Puja young girls at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square on Thursday, marking the second day of the Indra Jatra festival.
The annual ritual was performed according to Vedic tradition in front of the Taleju Bhawani Temple for girls who have not yet begun menstruation. The participants were worshipped as embodiments of the living goddess Kumari.
The ceremony is traditionally associated with prayers for happiness, peace and prosperity. There is also a popular belief that worshipping young girls as Kumaris helps protect them from illness and promotes good health.
Despite rainfall in Kathmandu from the morning, the puja continued without disruption. The young participants appeared excited to take part in the centuries-old tradition, while families and devotees gathered at the historic palace complex to witness the ceremony.
