Once a Living Goddess, Samita eyes career as air hostess

Kathmandu, march, 1: We all have our accomplishments - a victory in a competition, a well-deserved promotion, making lots of money or buying a new car. Yes, we all have our achievements and so does Samita Bajracharya, a former Living Goddess.

Bajracharya went from the living incarnation of the deity to the winner of a beauty pageant.

Bajracharya was chosen as a Kumari of Patan in October 2010. Her role as a Living Goddess ended in 2014 when she got her first period.

Eight years after she quit as Kumari, Bajracharya won the title of Miss National in 2022. Two years earlier, she was crowned the title of ‘cultural ambassador’ in Miss Mongol-2020. 

After she got her first menstruation, the priest performed a ritual that involved      untying her hair and removing the third eye made on her forehead before releasing her from the duty of Kumari.  

Kumari is considered a reincarnation of Hindu Goddess Durga and worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists. 

Kumari is also called Taleju, and it is widely believed that Goddess Taleju lived within the body of a Kumari.

Kumari is selected from the Sakya and Bajracharya clans of the Newari community living in the Kathmandu Valley. Traditionally, a ‘Kumari’ is not allowed to leave her residence except during formal ceremonies. Her feet should not touch the ground, and this custom is still in practice. 

Bajracharya shared her experience while performing the duty of Kumari and her current lifestyle with The Rising Nepal. She said that being a goddess was different, and the lifestyle of Kumari is totally different from that of normal children. 

“I used to get up early in the morning. My father used to perform puja daily and during the daily puja I was not allowed to eat anything. After the ritual, I used to have breakfast. I was not allowed to go out during Kumari’s tenure. I used to get everything, including teachers at my home,” she said.

Teachers tutored her at home. She also learned to play music in her free time. A Kumari is taken out only 16 times a year.

Friends used to come to her house during holidays and play with Kumari. 

At the time of being a goddess, private tutors taught her at home. But after her term was over, she started attending school and mixed up with other children. The initial phase of adjusting with normal children was a baffling experience for her.

Bajracharya, who is now 21, said, “When I stepped out of my house for the first time, I even did not know how to walk properly. My mom and dad had to hold my hands and teach me to walk. It was like a re-birth for me.”

When asked if she felt like she had superpower inside her when she was a Living Goddess, she said that she could not share that feeling. “But sitting on the throne was a singular feeling,” she said.

She was selected as a Kumari from among other six girls. It is believed that a girl should have 32 virtues to become a Kumari.

Asked if she had shown any special qualities of a Kumari before she was formally chosen, she said that in her house there was a throne where ‘Kumari’ sat and when she was two years old, she used to sit on the throne of ‘Kumari’ repeatedly. Seeing this, her grandmother used to say that she might be a Kumari one day. 

“I feel lucky to be a Kumari. I enjoyed my tenure a lot. When I was Kumari, I was treated like a princess. I was served food before others. I was like a boss. It was an uncommon experience for me,” she said.  

She was also allowed to keep mobile phone and laptop with her. She said, “I have watched a lot       of cartoons. I was aware of the outside world through the mobile and laptop.” 

During her tenure, she learned music from Suresh Raj Bajracharya.

After getting released from her position as Kmari, she was readmitted  in grade 7 at St. Xavier’s School.

“It was challenging to interact and be social because I was not allowed to talk to other people when I was a Kumari. At first, friends were very curious to know about my Kumari career. All of them supported me to be social.”

Now she is doing her Bachelors in Business Studies at St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar. She is also working as Managing Director at Karaoke Entertainment.

While studying in college, she became fascinated with beauty pageants and won the title of ‘cultural ambassador’ in Miss Mongol in 2020.  Later, she became Miss National in 2022.

“We must change with time. All my family members are happy with the progress I have made,” she said. 

Although she was a goddess and a beauty pageant winner, she aims to become an Air Hostess. She has already completed the course of air hostess. 

She wants to be self-confident in life, she believes that job of an air hostess and the title of beauty pageant would help develop confidence in women. 

She is also a choreographer of beauty pageants. She has choreographed a few beauty pageants and is going to choreograph this year’s Miss National. 

She has also done music videos and learned Chinese as well. “I am a Buddhist by birth and Kumari is a Hindu deity, I am studying in a Jesuit College. I took the Air Hostess course from an institution run by Muslims,” she said.

“I want to convey the message that the forms of the God are different but all of them are the same,” she said. 

She termed the rumours that if one marries a former Kumari, the person will die as a myth and superstition. She said that she would marry when she wanted to.

According to her, the government has not given proper support to the Kumari of Patan.