You might have heard that a 10-year-old Kumari from Bhaktapur (Nepal), Sajani Shakya was stripped of her title as a living goddess because she traveled overseas to promote a documentary about the centuries-old tradition.Sajani had her status revoked because she broke with tradition by leaving the country and the authority have begun the process to search for a new Kumari.
Sajani is among several "Kumaris," or living goddesses, in Nepal, and as one of the kingdom's top three, is forbidden from leaving the country. However, last month she went to the United States and other countries to promote a British documentary about the living goddesses of the Katmandu Valley.
Ishbel Whitaker, director of the film "Living Goddess" said she was shocked and saddened by this news and would make sure the girl's education was provided for. "The rule of not being able to leave was never a rule before.... Nobody ever said the Kumari can't travel" she said.
The film crew consulted anthropologists, the head priests of Sajani's temple and her parents, the director said. And she said the Nepalese Embassy helped arrange Sajani's trip to the U.S.
Critics have said the tradition violates both international and Nepalese laws on child rights. But the film director said the Kumari tradition can be modern as well.
"Sajani seemed to be a great example of how the tradition can move into the modern age," Whitaker said. She said she made the film because the living goddess tradition is beautiful and worth capturing before it disappears.
But people here are still curious about the purpose of visit of Kumari to U.S. If she was brought here for a mere 'publicity' of a documentary without the consent of the related authorities, critcs have started here talking like is Sajani living goddess or an actress ??
4 comments:
as a nepali, i can't take the "actress" tag on Kumari..that is just dis-respectful to our tradition.
but u are right in questioning purpose of her visit and what the documentary makers were seeking from her appearance in the US.
bhumika
asia news desk,the newsroom
bhumika is right that the 'actress' tag is dishonor to the goddess kumari, however, I think Kumari should not have brought to US for the commercial promotion of the documentary film.
I also think negative about the tag, becoz if we want our traditional religion recommend us around the world then we should promote ourselves and accept changes. if people had to accept change to define New Nepal then this change must be accept, there are other living god goodess around like Rinpochhe for Sherpas and we know Dalai Lama prays like god as same as Kumari. If they can travel to enlighten then why not Kumari, Nepal needs its identity on MT. Everest if it could be moved then its sure our government had put it into package tour sale as they had done to our rivers an lakes. But this is one of the shyness to say or to disqualify.
Indeed Kumari can travel the world for spreading the religion/ philosophy and the peace. Rinppoche and Dalai Lama also travel the world, but they travel for these purposes. But Kumari was brought in US just for the mere publicity of a documentry film. The purpose is different here.
Post a Comment