腳不能沾地的女神 揭祕尼泊爾"活女神"
In most communities around the world, goddesses are symbolic of a spiritual world. But in Nepal, these sacred females live and breathe.
在世界上大部分的國家和地區,女神是精神世界的象徵,但在尼泊爾,這些神聖的女性在世間生活著呼吸著。Handpicked from birth, these pre-pubescent girls are known as Kumaris, which means virgin in Nepalese, and are believed to be incarnations of the Hindu Goddess of Power, Kali.
這些被稱為“庫瑪利斯”(尼泊爾語處女)的女孩是自出生時就被精心挑選出來的。直到進入青春期前,她們都被視為印度女神時母的化身。They are forced to leave their homes and are hidden away in temples as a living deity, only able to leave when they are required at festivals and processions as the subject of worship.
她們被認為是在人間的神祗,必須隱居在神廟裡,只有出席節慶或宗教活動時才被允許離開。回家更是不可能的事情。
These Kumaris are even considered too special to walk, instead being carried in chariots, thrones and other people's arms - sometimes meaning they do not learn to walk until they retire.
人們認為這些女孩太特殊,她們無須步行,一般坐馬車、寶座或肩輿出行。也就是說,有時她們在退休之前都不會學習走路。And the girls are banned from going to school or taking part in day-to-day society, only appearing outside their temples up to 13 times a year.
她們不能上學,也不能過普通人的日常生活。一年最多隻能離開神廟13次。But once they reach puberty, everything changes for these Kumaris. After menstruation starts, the girls are put through a 12-day 'Gufa' ritual, after which their life as a Kumari ends - and they return to an ordinary life that they have never known.
一旦到了青春期,一切都將變得不同。初潮開始後,她們會參加一個為期12天被稱為“古法”的儀式。“庫瑪利斯”生涯就此結束,她們將回到此前從未經歷過的正常人的生活中去。