The Living Goddess: A Journey into the Heart of Kathmandu

(Paperback)

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Description

This is an intense exploration of the vibrant Nepali tradition of worshipping a pre-pubescent girl as the incarnation of the universal goddess, Devi, which moves seamlessly between present and past, myth and reality, violence and utter peace. It contrasts the peaceful, silent, dutiful, hard-working traditional goddess with the depravities and violence of Nepal's ruling elite and their politics.

Reviews

"Completely fascinating, beautifully written and stranger than fiction. I loved it. (Joanna Lumley) A unique insight into an astonishing tradition (Colin Thubron) An extraordinary story, beautifully told. Isabella Tree combines the observational and literary gifts of a Diana Eck or an Andrew Harvey with Roberto Calasso's ability to retell mythology and Wendy Doniger's ability to interpret it. The resulting search is nothing short of a revelation. (William Dalrymple)

Author Bio

Isabella Tree is a writer and journalist based in the UK. She is the author of three other non-fiction books and writes for publications such as Granta, National Geographic Magazine, the Sunday Times and the Observer. She has been travelling regularly to Nepal since the 1980s.