Durbar Square Kathmandu

I took a trip to Durbar Square with a friend from the Embassy today.  We've been in KTM for over a month, so it was nice to get out and explore a bit.  You could still see the damage caused by the earthquake in 2015.  There is actually a lot of restoration work happening now and I imagine it will go on for a while given how delicate many of the structures are.

We also had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the child Goddess, Kumari Devi, which is believed to bring good fortune.  All Kumaris are chosen from the Newari tribe and it's a highly selective process.  Most are around the age of 5 when they begin their life as a Goddess.  However, it's back to the ordinary human life once they reach puberty which can be a difficult transition when no one is bowing down to you anymore.  The life of Kumari is a heavily guarded secret - no one really knows what goes inside the house except for the caretakers and priests.  Taking photos of Kumari is also not allowed.  But I was able to take a photo of the temple which is pretty impressive.

Home of Kumari