Rashmila Shakya left her family home when she was just 4 years old because she was selected to be the next Kumari in the year 1984. Her home for the next eight years was to be the Kumari Ghar at Kathmandu Durbar Square and the people appointed as her caretakers, her family.

Located towards the south entrance of the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Kumari Ghar was built by King Jay Prakash Malla in the year 1757 AD especially for the living goddess. The Kumari who resides here is popularly known as the Royal Kumari and is the most popular Kumari amongst 11 others around the country.

Kumari, which literally translates to a virgin, is believed to be a living incarnation of Goddess Taleju Bhawani, a manifestation of Goddess Durga. It is believed that about 300 years ago, King Jay Prakash Malla of Kathmandu was visited by Goddess Taleju Bhawani. The two would play ‘tripasa’, a dice game while discussing royal affairs. However, one day the king failed to fulfil the goddess’s condition causing her to leave immediately. This left the king in great sorrow and he apologized numerous times. Finally the goddess reappeared and said that she would incarnate as a kumari, a virgin female child in the Shakya family of the Newar community. Worshipping young kumari girls became a strong tradition in the Newari community since then.