2008-11-20 三岁女童成尼泊尔活女神

A three-year-old girl is now a new living goddess in Nepal. At a recent religious ceremony, the new Kumari or living goddess was carried from her parents' home to an ancient palatial¹ temple in the heart of the Nepalese capital Kathmandu where she'll live until she reaches puberty and loses her divine status.

Matina Shakya received approval from the priests and president in a centuries-old tradition with deep ties to Nepal's monarchy² which was abolished in May.

A panel of judges conducted/ a series of ancient ceremonies to select the goddess from several girls who are all members of the impoverished³ Shakya goldsmith caste. The judges read the candidates' horoscopes, checked each one for physical imperfections, and ensured the candidate was not afraid of the dark. As a final test, the living goddess spent a night alone in a room among the heads of ritually slaughtered⁴ goats and buffaloes⁵ without showing fear.

The child will live in almost complete isolation⁶ at the temple, and can return to her family only at the onset⁷ of menstruation when a new goddess will be named.
 
Tradition says the Kumari may leave her new home only for festivals a few times a year.

"Getting our daughter selected as the Kumari is a happy moment for us, and also a proud moment, as she is revered⁸ as the powerful goddess in our society. But at the same time, I feel sad that our daughter will have to live separately from us."

Matina replaces 12-year-old Preeti Shakya, who has now returned to her family home.

The living goddesses are traditionally paraded during an annual festival giving thanks for the monsoon⁹ rains when dozens of chanting worshippers pull her enormous wooden chariot through the narrow streets of Kathmandu’s old city.

1 palatial   

adj.宫殿般的，宏伟的

参考例句：

• Palatial office buildings are being constructed in the city.那个城市正在兴建一些宫殿式办公大楼。
• He bought a palatial house.他买了套富丽堂皇的大房子。

2 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

3 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 buffaloes   

n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓

参考例句：

• Some medieval towns raced donkeys or buffaloes. 有些中世纪的城市用驴子或水牛竞赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Water buffaloes supply Egypt with more meat than any other domestic animal. 水牛提供给埃及的肉比任何其它动物都要多。 来自辞典例句

6 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

7 onset   

n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始

参考例句：

• The drug must be taken from the onset of the infection.这种药必须在感染的最初期就开始服用。
• Our troops withstood the onset of the enemy.我们的部队抵挡住了敌人的进攻。

8 revered   

v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A number of institutions revered and respected in earlier times have become Aunt Sally for the present generation. 一些早年受到尊崇的惯例，现在已经成了这代人嘲弄的对象了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Chinese revered corn as a gift from heaven. 中国人将谷物奉为上天的恩赐。 来自辞典例句

9 monsoon   

n.季雨，季风，大雨

参考例句：

• The monsoon rains started early this year.今年季雨降雨开始得早。
• The main climate type in that region is monsoon.那个地区主要以季风气候为主要气候类型。