Haritalika Teej being observed today (In Pictures)

KATHMANDU, Sept 2: Hindu women are celebrating Haritalika Teej across the country with zeel and zust today.

Women visit the temples of Lord Shiva including Pashupatinath temple on this day. They take fast, sing, dance and offer prayers to Lord Shiva.

It is widely believed that by taking fast and offering prayer to Lord Shiva on this day, married women will be blessed with marital bliss while unmarried women will be graced with an ideal husband. Next day, the women perform puja of Satpa Rishi and break their fast.

The festival, which falls on the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) in the month of Bhadra, also marks the union of Lord Shiva and goddess Parbati.

Hundreds of thousands of women have thronged Pashupatinath temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva since early morning.

All the four gates of the temple have been opened today while three entry points have been arranged via Guheshwori-Gaurighat-Rudragadeshwori, Jayabageshwori-Bhuwaneshwori-Sankharacharya and Airport-Pinglastha-Char Shivalaya for the devotees to proceed to the temple, according to Pashupati Area Development Trust.

Similarly, more than 4,000 security officials from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been mobilized in the Pashupatinath area in view of security.

Likewise, a dozen health camps, information center and temporary and mobile toilets have been arranged to facilitate the visitors.

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote/Reporters Club Nepal