Sorry, goddess, off to school
Randeep Ramesh; 22/8/08
An ancient custom in Nepal of worshipping a virgin girl-child residing in a palace as a “living goddess” is set to be scrapped after it was branded outdated by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the “deity” must go to school. Religious authorities are searching for a new Kumari — chosen from a handful of three-year-olds — after it was revealed the current living goddess would retire this year. The process looks likely to be scrapped after the country’s highest court accepted arguments that keeping a girl locked up in a medieval palace in the capital, Kathmandu, breached her rights.
See: http://www.theage.com.au/world/sorry-goddess-off-to-school-20080821-3zlc.html
Tags: Nepal; Womens Rights