It appeared from the study of the above mentioned report and the written reply included in the case file that there were variations and not uniformity in the status of the girls who were appointed as Kumari under the custom of Kumari practised at different places within the Kathmandu valley, the rights and interests of such Kumaris and the facilities provided to them and the discipline or the code of conduct to which they must comply. The Kumaris of all the places are generally required to be girls aged between 4 and 12. Even though the objective, contents and recognition of the custom of Kumari and its establishment are similar, various practices were discovered among the Kumaris of different places with regard to different subjects including the right to get education, the right to health, the right to family, the right to food, the right to maintenance, the right to entertainment, the right to clothing and the right to personal freedom. For example, in the case of the Kumari of Basantpur of Kathmandu and the Kumari of Patan, as their right to education is concerned, they enjoy the right to education, but they are not allowed to go to school, and they are thus required to study at home. Therefore, they are taught two to three hours daily at home by teachers. On the other hand, the Kumaris of Bhaktapur, Bungamati and Kilagal are free from any restriction in going to school for getting education, at par with other girls, whereas there are no restrictions on the Kumaris of Makhan Tarini and the Kumari of Mikhabahal in going to school but there is the practice of going to school wearing only the red dress. Similarly, in the case of the Kumari of Gabahal of Kathmandu, although there is the belief that she ought not to go to school for study, the father of the Kumari was found to have sent her to school. Besides, in spite of the belief that the Kumari of Mubahal ought not to go to school for study, there seems to be no restriction on imparting education to her at home. As regards the financial resources for the Kumaris, Guthi Sansthan, Kaushitoshakhana and the Municipalities provide some amount to the Kumaris of Basantapur, Patan, and Bhaktapur and also to the ex-Kumaris. However, the report does not show that any financial help is provided by those institutions to the Kumaris of other places. A look at the other aspects of the social life and activities of the Kumaris concerning the right of movement and the right to stay with their families shows that there has been a custom which compels the Basantapur Kumari to stay inside the house and imposes restriction on her going out of the Kumari house. Although the personal house of the Patan Kumari is used as the Kumari house, the custom in practice prevents her from going out of the Kumari house. The Kumaris of other places are bound to stay inside the Kumari house. Even though the Kumaris of Gabahal and Muhabal are allowed to stay at their own house, they have been prevented from going out of the house. As regards their food, the Kumaris of Basantapur and Patan are served food twice every day whereas the Kumaris of other places are generally allowed to take food of their choice except on special occasions. So far as medical treatment is concerned, there has been a custom which does not allow the medical treatment of the Kumaris of Basantapur, Patan, Kilagal, Gabahal and Mubahal by medical doctors. However, there seems to no such restriction in the case of the Kumaris of other places. As for sports and child recreation, there seems to be a practice of allowing the Kumaris of Basantapur, Patan, Gabahal and Mubahal to play and involve in recreational activities only with their relations within the Kumari house. However, there seems to be no such restriction 122