The life and complicated times of a Hindu goddess in Nepal

Preeti sharing an image of herself from her time as a living child god. Photos: dpa

Priests suspected early on that Preeti Shakya was special.

First, there was her birth horoscope, which matched that of the king at the time. Then there was the fact that she fulfilled a good 32 of the criteria for perfection, with legs like a deer, a chest like a lion and a voice like a duck.