Across from the Royal Palace of Durbar Square in downtown Kathmandu stands a smaller but well decorated house called Kumari Ghar, the House of the Kumari.

It would be easy to simply walk by and focus instead on the pagodas, shikarahs and temples vying for attention a few feet away around the square, but that would be a mistake. You would be missing out on a meeting with the Royal Kumari, the living goddess of Kathmandu, revered by millions.

At the entrance to the house, a few women are selling postcards bearing a photograph of the living goddess residing in that house. Our guide explains that, while we will meet the living goddess, we will not be allowed to take any photographs of her, hence the postcards.

The living goddess is a young pre-pubescent Nepalese girl who is essentially confined to living in that house until she reaches puberty. While in that house, she is truly a living goddess and revered as such by the Nepalese people.

Once she reaches puberty, the living goddess will be replaced by a new Kumari and will be allowed to go back home with a lifetime stipend from the government of Nepal.

A panel of old wise men selects the living goddess from a field of candidates according to a long established torturous process. A candidate must be very beautiful, having to meet a set of 32 physical traits defining beauty.

All the candidates pass a series of tests ( dark rooms, severed animal heads, etc… ) aimed in part at scaring the hell out of the young four-year olds in an effort to flesh out the best candidate.

Once anointed, the new living goddess has to move into the Kumari Ghar and remain there until puberty.

Foreigners are only allowed to see her from the inner courtyard of the house as she peers down from a window on the third floor. She will come to the window upon request (with the expectation of a donation into the conveniently located donation box), stare at you for a few seconds and then disappear quickly back into the dark.

Nepalese people, however, can walk up the stairs into the inner sanctum and meet the living goddess face to face. Our guide explained that the living goddess will place a red dot on the forehead of those she meets in this way.

If the living goddess blinks while doing so, you will go to jail. If she cries, you will die. If she is steady and calm, you will meet with good fortune.

The living goddess is always dressed in red and gold, with very elaborate make-up.

Five times a year or so, on the date of important festivals, she will leave the house on a giant decorated chariot stored right next to the house.

When in Nepal, please go meet the Royal Kumari, the living goddess of Kathmandu.