PREVIEW

Royal Living Goddess Kumari Arya Tara Shakya attends the Chaite Dashain festival in Kathmandu, Nepal, 26 March 2026.

Chaite Dashain, also known as Chaitra Navaratri, is a Hindu festival celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil, during which devotees offer prayers and perform rituals to ward off negative forces.

Kumari Arya Tara Shakya was enthroned on 30 September 2025 after the retirement of former Kumari Trishna Shakya.

The Kumari, who appears in public only a limited number of times each year, is worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists as a living goddess believed to protect against evil and bring good fortune.

The Royal Kumari, regarded as the living incarnation of Goddess Taleju, is selected from the Shakya clan of Kathmandu through an elaborate traditional process and represents centuries-old cultural and religious heritage