The aim of this study is to contribute to the research about the role of rituals in the construction of social identity of women in Newar society. By studying the Kumari tradition, I explore how religious traditions play a role in maintaining social values and gender roles. Following this, I analyze how this role contributes to the continuation of the practice in the face of calls for its abolition in recent years. Of central importance is the controversy surrounding the Kumari tradition fueled by criticism from the UN and western media alleging that the religious practice of Kumari worship is a violation of children’s rights. This study also discusses changes in the Kumari tradition between 1996-2008, resulting in greater acknowledgement of the child’s social needs, both during and after her rule. The issue of the ‘anomalous’ position of former Kumari and how Nepalese society attempts to deal with it is also brought to light.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:lnu-103475 |
| Date | January 2021 |
| Creators | Stridh, Ellinor |
| Publisher | Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för kulturvetenskaper (KV) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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