Kathmandu - Nepal's main living goddess known as Kumari of Kathmandu city is set to be replaced after the incumbent came of age, official reports said Monday. Matina Shakya, 3, will be installed as the Kumari of Kathmandu on Tuesday coinciding with the Hindu festival of Dashain, the official Gorkhapatra newspaper said.
As part of the tradition, Matina, along with her parents were introduced to Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav to seek his approval.
Traditionally, Nepalese kings gave the final go ahead for the chosen girl to be installed as the living goddess.
However, monarchy was abolished by the country's constituent assembly in a vote earlier this year.
The new Kumari became necessary as incumbent Preeti Shakya, 12, came of age and will formally retire on Tuesday.
Preeti Shakya was installed as the "Royal Kumari" in 2001.
The newspaper quoted astrologers involved in the selection as saying Matina was chosen as her horoscope matched with that of the country and she passed all the required tests.
Kumari literally means a virgin. A young girl from the Buddhist community is chosen to represent a Hindu goddess after she passes 32 perfections which include a body like a banyan tree and golden tender skin that has never been scratched or shed a drop of blood.
Each of Kathmandu's Valley's three cities - Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan - have their own Kumaris.
The Buddhists worship her as representing Bajradevi and the Hindus as a reincarnation of Goddess Kali.
In recent times, there have been emotional debates about the future of Kumari with rights activists saying the tradition violates basic human rights.
Earlier, the Nepalese Supreme Court ordered after months of deliberation the Kumaris must be accorded child rights, including the right to education.
Until last year, Nepal's monarch received a blessing from the royal Kumari of Kathmandu city giving him the authority to rule the country till the following year.
