脚不能沾地的女神

 　　In most communities around the world, goddesses are symbolic¹ of a spiritual world. But in Nepal, these sacred females live and breathe.

　　在世界上大部分的国家和地区，女神是精神世界的象征，但在尼泊尔，这些神圣的女性在世间生活着呼吸着。

　　Handpicked from birth, these pre-pubescent girls are known as Kumaris, which means virgin² in Nepalese, and are believed to be incarnations of the Hindu Goddess of Power, Kali.

　　这些被称为“库玛利斯”（尼泊尔语处女）的女孩是自出生时就被精心挑选出来的。直到进入青春期前，她们都被视为印度女神时母的化身。

　　They are forced to leave their homes and are hidden away in temples as a living deity³, only able to leave when they are required at festivals and processions as the subject of worship.

　　她们被认为是在人间的神祗，必须隐居在神庙里，只有出席节庆或宗教活动时才被允许离开。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.

　　人们认为这些女孩太特殊，她们无须步行，一般坐马车、宝座或肩舆出行。也就是说，有时她们在退休之前都不会学习走路。

　　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.

　　她们不能上学，也不能过普通人的日常生活。一年最多只能离开神庙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，一切都将变得不同。初潮开始后，她们会参加一个为期12天被称为“古法”的仪式。“库玛利斯”生涯就此结束，她们将回到此前从未经历过的正常人的生活中去。

 

1 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

2 virgin   

n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的

参考例句：

• Have you ever been to a virgin forest?你去过原始森林吗？
• There are vast expanses of virgin land in the remote regions.在边远地区有大片大片未开垦的土地。

3 deity   

n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物)

参考例句：

• Many animals were seen as the manifestation of a deity.许多动物被看作神的化身。
• The deity was hidden in the deepest recesses of the temple.神藏在庙宇壁龛的最深处。