A two-year-old girl was carried through the streets of Kathmandu on Tuesday to be installed as Nepal’s new living goddess during the country’s biggest annual festival.

Aryatara Shakya, aged two years and eight months, was chosen as the new Kumari, replacing her predecessor who traditionally returns to normal life upon reaching puberty.

The Kumari, revered by both Hindus and Buddhists, is selected between the ages of two and four based on strict criteria such as clear skin, eyes, teeth, and courage. Believers consider her a living divine incarnation, carried on a chariot through the city during major religious festivals. She always wears red and has a painted third eye, blessing devotees who line up to touch her feet with their foreheads, the highest form of respect in Nepal.

Shakya will live in the temple palace for several years and will rarely leave except to participate in festivals. Although the Kumari traditionally leads an isolated life, recent changes have allowed her private education, access to television, and a small state pension upon retirement. The new Kumari is expected to bless devotees, including Nepal’s president, on Thursday, the main day of the Dashain festival.