Teenage goddess to pursue banking career
What’s a girl to do when she’s not a living goddess anymore? Apparently aim for a career in finance: Chanira Bajracharya, 15, has been the Kumari or “living goddess” of Patan, an ancient town south of Kathmandu, for nine years, blessing devotees at the temple and riding in decorated chariots 18 times a year during ...
What's a girl to do when she's not a living goddess anymore? Apparently aim for a career in finance:
What’s a girl to do when she’s not a living goddess anymore? Apparently aim for a career in finance:
Chanira Bajracharya, 15, has been the Kumari or “living goddess” of Patan, an ancient town south of Kathmandu, for nine years, blessing devotees at the temple and riding in decorated chariots 18 times a year during Hindu and Buddhist festivals.
Now, with her time as living goddess drawing to a close — the young virgin deities retire on reaching puberty — Bajracharya is contemplating a career in banking if she makes grades good enough to study commerce or accounting.
Last week she became the first living goddess ever to take the school leaving certificate examination, which was administered to her in her temple, which is housed in her home.
“I want to study commerce or accounting and be engaged in the banking sector,” she told Reuters in a rare interview, dressed in her ceremonial costumes, her eyes rimmed in black kohl and a third eye painted in the middle of her forehead.
Despite the attention, being a goddess doesn’t sound like much fun. Bajracharya isn’t allowed to attend school or mingle with other children and says she has no friends her age. She receives only about $20 a month for her services. A Nepalese Supreme Court order in 2008 forced the temple to provide the Kumaris with education and medical care.
Hopefully Bajracharya makes it through school and into the career of her choice. She’s certainly earned it and the global banking sector could use a little divine intervention these days.
Joshua Keating is a former associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
More from Foreign Policy

America Is a Heartbeat Away From a War It Could Lose
Global war is neither a theoretical contingency nor the fever dream of hawks and militarists.

The West’s Incoherent Critique of Israel’s Gaza Strategy
The reality of fighting Hamas in Gaza makes this war terrible one way or another.

Biden Owns the Israel-Palestine Conflict Now
In tying Washington to Israel’s war in Gaza, the U.S. president now shares responsibility for the broader conflict’s fate.

Taiwan’s Room to Maneuver Shrinks as Biden and Xi Meet
As the latest crisis in the straits wraps up, Taipei is on the back foot.