The three-storeyed Kumari house, built in 1757, near Kathmandu Durbar square, is a brick building with admirable woodwork. The visitors who want to glance at Kumari and seek a blessing can go up to the courtyard. Kumari occasionally comes to the window on the first floor, and those who are lucky can get a glimpse.
The tradition finds its traces in the 17th century, starting from King Jayaprakash Malla. Shah dynasty, who succeeded Mallas, also revered Kumari and continued with the tradition. The interesting thing about most of the traditions is that there is no single concrete theory on how they started in the first place. Here also, we have more than one theory. Let us share the most popular one wherein King Jayaprakash was befriended with Goddess Taleju, who used to visit him daily in his chamber to play a game of dice. However, she took a promise from the king not to disclose the secret of her visit with anyone. One day, out of curiosity, the queen discovered them, and the Goddess disappeared in anger. Later, the goddess agreed to be found in the Shakya clan in the form of Kumari, and since then, this tradition was followed. The king built the Kumari house to repent. Kumari can hold her position as long as she remains pure and does not lose even a single drop of blood. Usually, as soon as her menstrual period starts, divine energy is believed to depart from her body. Even losing blood from an injury may lead her to lose the position and a search for new Kumari commences.
A rare glance of Kumari is considered auspicious and in order to be sure to have the same you may plan a visit to Kathmandu (Nepal) around September when Kumari comes out of her house into the streets with all her divine sights. We are talking about the biggest festival celebrated by Newars, Indra Yatra. It is an eight-day festival dedicated to Indra (God of Rains) and his mother, Dagini.
MARRIAGE RITUALS:
Marriage is an important and biggest event in anyone’s life. People belonging to different faiths, religions & communities celebrate this life event differently in their own exclusive way.
In the Newari community, a girl has to go through two marriage rituals before heading for her final marriage with a boy. Firstly, in her early childhood, she is married to bel fruit (wood apple), symbolising god Vishnu. Thus it is also known as Bel Bibah or Ihipaa.
The second time, she is married to Sun God, before newar girl gets her first menstrual period. This 12-day ceremony is called the Bahra ceremony.
As per a popular belief, both these ceremonies protect the Newar women from facing societal discrimination and even if the husband dies, a Newar woman is never considered a widow as she had been married to lord Vishnu and Sun God who are immortal, thus giving the woman right to remarriage.
Finally, once she attains the marriage age, she can get married to a suitable groom.
You might be wondering if all the traditions are around girls / women. Men also have to go through some rituals before making their way to marry a real bride.
Every Newari boy must have performed the Bratabandha ceremony to be eligible for marriage. The ceremony marks his transition from boyhood to manhood. Traditionally celebrated in the odd-numbered year of age, the boy's head is shaved, and priests perform rituals. Although this tradition is practiced by both Hindus and Buddhists, the interpretation of the tradition is different. While the Hindus mark it as an end of boyhood, the Buddhists mark it as an end of worldly pleasure and the start of a monk's life.
JANKU:
The tradition of celebrating Janku shows how much Newaris celebrate every aspect of their life. It is an age old ceremony which is conducted when Newari people reach certain ages. So when a person reaches the age of 77 years, the first Janku is celebrated. Second Janku is celebrated at the age of 83, third at 88 years, fourth at 99 years, and the fifth and last one at 105 years. The celebrations at these defined ages, as per Newari texts, marks hardship in human life, and rituals performed in these years would help seek the blessings of divine forces, to ease their ways in life.
The person who managed to reach the fifth Janku is considered equivalent to divine energy. A huge procession is carried out with the person on a chariot or a palanquin like a bride or a bridegroom.
MHA PUJA– NEW YEAR FOR NEWAR COMMUNITY
As per the Hindu belief, God is present in every soul. As Janku is to celebrate the passing age, Mha Puja is to worship ‘one’s own self’ every year. Every New Year, people around the world make resolutions for the upcoming year but Newaris choose to perform rituals worshipping their body, for 'God resides inside us'. As per the Newar Calendar, their New Year falls in October or November and this is the time when they come out and take rallies playing music & drums throughout the day. At the end of the day, they perform Mha Puja- worshipping the self. The idea is to purify one’s soul from all the negativities, ignorance, and ill thoughts consumed in the outgoing year and start afresh with a pure soul.
The common belief is that it will help to gain both spiritual and physical strength. The Puja ends with a feast, which also includes local wine called ‘Aaila’.
Wedged between the great Himalayas and the Indian plains, Nepal, with over a hundred different ethnic groups has countless unique traditions. The list is long and diverse and it is no justice to sum it up in some words. However we have tried to showcase some interesting and unique traditions here. Watch a beauituful video of how Nepal Awaits you. With us, the itinerary is not just a travel route or a trip. We design, conceptualize and handcraft every journey for you. Our bespoke itineraries and curated experiences in different destinations are what make for those memorable travel moments.
This unique tradition gives an insight into the deep religious roots of this Himalayan country. Kumari, which means Virgin, is a chosen girl child revered as a manifestation of Living Goddess. A prepubescent girl child is chosen among many who succeed in passing out the conditions set out by Buddhist and Hindu priests. Yes, you read it right. Kumari is revered equally by both Hindus and Buddhists (The eligible Kumari is from the Shakya clan, to which Gautama Buddha belonged). For a girl child to become a Kumari, she must possess 32 qualities identified by the council of priests. Apart from this, she must not have lost the blood before or after attaining the revered position. While every town in Nepal has its Kumari selected through a similar process, the Royal Kumari is considered the most revered. 
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