In the Kathmandu Valley young Newari girls called kumaris are worshipped as omnipotent deities. These prepubescent girls (in Nepali the word “kumari” means “virgin girl”) are glorified as living goddesses for years at time and are believed to have powers of prescience and the ability to cure the sick (particularly those suffering from blood disorders), fulfill specific wishes, and bestow blessings of protection and prosperity. Above all, they’re said to provide an immediate connection between this world and the divine and to generate in their devotees maitri bhavana—a spirit of loving-kindness toward all. This photographic essay, created for National Geographic, is a rare look into the world of a living goddess.
Artist Bios
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Stephanie Sinclair
Visual Journalist, Stephanie Sinclair is known for gaining unique access to the most sensitive gender and human rights issues around the world. Although she has covered the dramatic events of war, many of Sinclair’s most arresting works confront the everyday brutality faced by young girls around the world. Her studies of domestic life in developing countries and the United States bring into sharp relief the physical and emotional tolls that entrenched social conventions can take on those most vulnerable to abuse. Sinclair’s images mark an exchange of trust and compassion. But by consenting to be photographed at their most vulnerable, the people depicted in these images also demonstrate a rare bravery. The resulting images have been published in hundreds our outlets worldwide including National Geographic and The New York Times Magazine. Sinclair is the recipient of numerous other awards including the CARE International Award for Humanitarian Reportage, the Overseas Press Club’s Olivier Rebbot Award, three World Press Photo awards and a Pulitzer Prize. In 2010, Stephanie’s photographs of self-immolation in Afghanistan were exhibited as part of the Whitney Biennial in New York.
Organizations
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National Geographic
Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content’s award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore, and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social, and print publisher and across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu. Established in 1888, National Geographic is a trusted print and digital publication that creates visually stunning, richly reported photojournalism and distinguished, impartial coverage of the globe’s most pressing issues. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Reddit.
National Geographic Presents: Living Goddesses
Featuring: Stephanie Sinclair
Curated by: Ken Geiger
Locations
View Location Details Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
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