What is Kumari Ghar?
Kumari Ghar is the residence of the Kumari, a young girl worshipped as a living goddess, in Kathmandu Durbar Square. It’s also called Kumari Bahal or Kumari Chhen. The word “ghar” means house, and “bahal” is the name given to its central courtyard, according to Nepal Traveller.
It stands at the southern end of the square. Read our Kathmandu Durbar Square guide for the sights around it.
Who is the Kumari?
The Kumari is a girl chosen from the Newar community, and devotees worship her as a form of the goddess Taleju. The Associated Press reports that both Hindus and Buddhists worship her, and that girls are chosen between the ages of 2 and 4. Her role usually ends at her first period, says the Rubin Museum, and Wikipedia says an accidental wound can also end it.
On 30 September 2025, Aryatara Shakya became the Kumari at the age of 2 years and 8 months, succeeding Trishna Shakya, who’d served since 2017. The Associated Press reported this during Dashain.
Kumaris leave the house only a few times a year, according to the Associated Press, and are carried outside. Tradition has relaxed in some ways. The Associated Press reports that a Kumari can now have private tutoring inside the house.
This is a religious tradition with its own priests and rules, and we don’t try to explain it beyond what sources say. Please treat her home as you’d treat a temple.
When was Kumari Ghar built?
Most sources date the building to 1757, under King Jaya Prakash Malla. The Himalayan Times and Explore Nepal give 1757, and Nepal Traveller gives 1757 (1813 in the Nepali calendar). The Nepal Tourism Board’s page calls it a 17th-century temple, which doesn’t match.
Wikipedia tells the best-known legend. King Jaya Prakash Malla played dice at night with the goddess Taleju, on condition that he told no one. When his daughter saw them, the goddess left. She then told him in a dream to find a young Shakya girl in whom she’d appear. This is a legend, and other versions are told.
What does the building look like?
Kumari Ghar is a three-storey building in traditional Newar style. Nepal Traveller gives this description, and we couldn’t check every detail in a second source.
- Entrance: Three steps lead up to the door, with two white stone lions on either side. A carved wooden toran (a panel over the door) sits above it.
- First floor: Four carved windows.
- Second floor: Seven windows, including four large ones with peacock designs.
- Third floor: Black-painted triple windows at the centre.
- Courtyard: A stone chaitya (small shrine) with the Pancha Buddhas, plus niches for Nasadya and Mahankal Bhairav.
Wikipedia says devotees gather in the courtyard and may see her through a latticed window. Nepal Traveller describes a golden throne on the top floor.
What are the visitor rules at Kumari Ghar?
Never photograph or film the Kumari. The travel guides we read that mention photos all say this, and we ask the same of you. We found no official published rules, so the rest of this list comes from travel guides.
- Photos: Best Heritage Tour says photos of the courtyard and the outside are allowed, and that all cameras and phones must go away the moment she appears. Keep yours away, if in doubt.
- Silence: Keep your voice down, and stay silent while she’s at the window.
- Dress: Cover your shoulders and knees.
- Leather: Best Heritage Tour advises avoiding leather in the deeper religious parts of the square.
If you take a photo of her by mistake, delete it. See what to wear in Kathmandu for general advice.
Can visitors see the Kumari?
Sometimes, but she may not appear, and this isn’t a show. The Nepal Tourism Board says visitors can see her during set hours. It doesn’t give those hours, and other sources disagree.
| Source | Reported times |
|---|---|
| Nepal Traveller | 9 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 6 pm |
| Best Heritage Tour, January 2026 | 11 am to 12 pm and 3 pm to 4 pm |
Best Heritage Tour says she may not appear on special worship days, public holidays, or major festivals such as Indra Jatra and Dashain. It also suggests arriving about 15 minutes early. We can’t promise a sighting.
What did the 2015 earthquake do to Kumari Ghar?
The 2015 earthquake damaged the building, and it’s still being repaired. The Kathmandu Post named it among 11 Durbar Square monuments damaged or destroyed in the quake, and said in 2018 that it was still propped up.
- 2018: Kathmandu Metropolitan City tested the structure, and the test recommended retrofitting.
- November 2019: The Himalayan Times found it held up by more than a dozen wooden and metal poles, with no agreement on who should rebuild it.
- August 2025: A committee led by archaeologist Purushottam Dangol was formed after the roof leaked.
- 9 March 2026: Renovation of the 464-square-metre roof began. The committee found cracked walls, rotting wood and collapsed tiles.
- February 2027: The contract period ends, according to Chautari Post.
In August 2026, The Rising Nepal reported the roof still under repair. It quoted an activist who prefers original tiles to the new ones. We found no report that the work has finished, so expect repairs when you visit.
How long do you need?
Allow 15 to 20 minutes in the courtyard, or longer if you wait for a possible appearance. This is our estimate. Most people make it one stop on a visit to the square.
Which festivals are linked to the Kumari?
Indra Jatra is the main one. Her chariot procession, the Kumari Jatra, began in 1756 under Jaya Prakash Malla, according to Wikipedia. Three chariots carry representations of Ganesh, Bhairava and Kumari through Kathmandu over three days. Wikipedia says the president now has a ceremonial role once held by the king. See our Indra Jatra guide for the date.
The 2025 installation fell on the eighth day of Dashain. The Associated Press said she was due to bless devotees, including the president, later that week.
Are there steps, and is it accessible?
Kumari Ghar has three steps up to its door, according to Nepal Traveller, and we have no other measurement. The square outside is described as open to wheelchair users in one 2025 report. See our steps and mobility guide.
How do you get there?
Kumari Ghar is near the southern entrance of Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Nepal Traveller calls it the first building you see from Basantapur. By our own map measurement, the square is about 1.2 km in a straight line from Thamel, so most visitors walk.
How do you visit with a guide or alone?
You can visit alone as part of your square ticket. Go in quietly, keep your phone away, and leave if asked. If she doesn’t appear, that’s normal.
A guide can tell you what’s happening in the courtyard, and when to put your camera away. You can weigh this up with do you need a tour guide in Nepal.
The tours listed on this page all stop at Kathmandu Durbar Square. Our Kathmandu half day tour is the shortest, and we don’t promise a sighting on any tour.
