The long journey which eventually led to this book began in 1985 when I and a group of other anthropology students from the University of Adelaide landed in Nepal. We were on a study tour of South Asia intended to provide us with ideas for our forthcoming theses. For me the choice became immediately obvious upon my first glimpse of Kumari in her palace. Her appearance was not only intriguing, but aroused an unquenchable curiosity as to the deeper meanings of her worship. This has led me to a prolonged investigation of tantric Hinduism and Buddhism, an inquiry which has been of great personal benefit. My study has ended up as a book rather than as a thesis but I am mindful that it was through the Uni-versity of Adelaide's Anthropology department that this all came about. I greatly appreciate the stimulus given me by academic staff and students over the years.