The Living Goddess of Bungamati, seven-year-old Smriti Bajracharya, has been living in a shelter in her hometown on the southern outskirts of Kathmandu Valley that was devastated in the 25 April earthquake.
HOLY FAMILY: Bungamati Kumari Smriti Bajracharya, 7, with her father Shantikar and mother Sajita who have been living in an earthquake shelter in the devastated town. Photo: Min Ratna BajracharyaThe Kumari lives with her parents, relatives and friends in a courtyard that houses 200 people who have lost their homes.
“She just sat there through the tremors when the first earthquake hit and she wasn’t the least bit afraid,” said the Kumari’s father, Shantikar Bajracharya who said he grabbed her and took her outside. During the aftershock on 12 May, Smriti Bajracharya was playing on a toy flute and kept on doing so despite the shaking which brought down the buildings that were weakened during the first quake.
The historic town of Bungamati was destroyed in the quakes, with both residential buildings and the main temple of Machhendranath damaged or brought down. Although the chariot of the raingod is intact in Sainbu, the temple was completely destroyed.
Temple priest refuted rumours that the jewel-studded ‘bhoto’ of Machhendranath has been stolen, and said it is in a safe buried in the rubble of the temple and hasn’t yet been retrieved.
Meanwhile, Smriti has resumed her classes at the Triratna Cooperative School in Bungamati.
Min Ratna Bajracharya
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