2007年VOA标准英语-Nepalese Girl Loses 'Living Goddess' Status Aft

By Liam Cochrane
Kathmandu
07 July 2007

A girl who is considered a "living goddess" in Nepal has been demoted after a trip to the United States. Sujani Shakya, 10, was visiting America to publicize a documentary made about her, but the committee that appointed her now says that leaving the country has spoiled her purity and have started looking for her replacement¹. Liam Cochrane reports from Kathmandu. 

A Nepalese living goddess, locally known as Kumari, is taken through the capital on a chariot carried by devotees in Katmandu, Nepal, 18 March 2007

Nepal's citizens have revered² the Kumari, or living goddess, for more than 800 years. She is a young girl chosen for her physical and mental purity who lives in an ancient house giving blessings³ to Hindus until she reaches puberty and is replaced.

Wearing heavy make up and a large "third eye" painted on her forehead, the Kumari only leaves home for religious festivals and even then must always walk on a red carpet.

There are always three Kumaris - one for Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur - each of the ancient cities that united to form modern Kathmandu.

The Kumari of Bhaktapur, Sajani Shakya, 10, was recently the subject of a documentary film called Living Goddess, which is being shown in the United States. The Kumari broke tradition by leaving her house and traveling to the U.S. at the invitation of the filmmakers.

In her absence, a municipal council has announced that it is taking away her status as a living goddess and has begun searching for her replacement.

Jamuna Bajrachrya, a cousin of the Kumari of Bhaktapur, says the decision will not affect the Kumari's family as they did not benefit much from the arrangement, but she says Sajani Shakya will be disappointed because she wanted to remain Kumari for at least another two years.

Bajracharya says the incident was a misunderstanding. She says the rules surrounding the Kumari of Bhaktapur are more relaxed than those of the other two Kumaris, and so her family thought there would be no problem with Shakya leaving the country.

However, Shakya's family will respect the wishes of the Kumari council.

While in the U.S. Shakya visited an elementary school, conducted interviews and went to the zoo in Washington.

She is currently in India and will return to Nepal on Saturday.

The living goddess tradition is coming under scrutiny⁴ in modern Nepal. A case currently before the Supreme⁵ Court will decide if the Kumari is a form of child abuse.

The life of the Kumari has changed in recent years, with modern goddesses receiving private tutoring in between their religious duties. Kumaris are also less affected⁶ by the superstition⁷ that any man who marries a former Kumari will die prematurely⁸.

After an initially⁹ tough transition, many Kumaris do resume normal lives.

1 replacement   

n.取代，替换，交换；替代品，代用品

参考例句：

• We are hard put to find a replacement for our assistant.我们很难找到一个人来代替我们的助手。
• They put all the students through the replacement examination.他们让所有的学生参加分班考试。

2 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

3 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

7 superstition   

n.迷信，迷信行为

参考例句：

• It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
• Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。

8 prematurely   

adv.过早地，贸然地

参考例句：

• She was born prematurely with poorly developed lungs. 她早产，肺部未发育健全。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His hair was prematurely white, but his busy eyebrows were still jet-black. 他的头发已经白了，不过两道浓眉还是乌黑乌黑的。 来自辞典例句

9 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。