KATHMANDU, March 4: Hindu devotees from various places of the country and India have crowded up Pashupatinath temple since early this morning to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Mahashivaratri festival.

Tens of thousands of devotees have queued up in line since early morning to offer worships to Lord Shiva.

All four doors of the Pashupati temple have been kept open since 3.00 am early today to allow devotees to offer worships in a convenient manner, according to the Pashupati Area Development Trust.

Three lines have been arranged for the revelers to enter into the main temple of Pashupati. They have also managed special arrangement for the senior citizens and the disabled.

About 6000 security personnel including Nepal Police, Traffic Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army have been mobilized to secure the temple area. Also, 5000 volunteers have been mobilized to manage the crowd, according to PADT.

Parking lots have been arranged in five different areas, including Tilganga, PADT office, Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala, Sifalchaur and open space beyond Guheswori.

Also, thousands of devotees have reached Gokarneswor located in the north-east part of the capital and Basantapur-based Shiva Temple, among others in the capital beside Pashupati.

Likewise, the temples of Lord Shiva across the country, including Halesi Dham of Khotang, Baijanath Dham of Achham and Kuleswor of Sindhuli have seen huge influx of devotees for worships.

Also Read: In Pictures: 6000 plus sadhus arrive at Pashupatinath

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote

KATHMANDU, March 4: More than 6000 sadhus have arrived at Pashupatinath Temple on the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, the greatest festival of Hindu devotees.

Shadus, considered as wandering holy men or monks revered for being good, are found throughout Nepal and India living in caves, forests and Hindu temples. Every year thousands of Sadhus arrive at Pashupatinath to witness the Great Night of Lord Shiva.

Normally, they are found smoking hashish around the temple premises. However, this year the Sadhus are prohibited from smoking marijuana except in their Ashram due to blanket ban on consumption and distribution of Marijuana enforced by Metropolitan Police Range Office.

KATHMANDU, Feb 13: Devotees from various places of the country and neighboring India have thronged Pathupatinath Temple since early Tuesday morning to offer prayers on Maha Shivaratri.

All four doors of the temple were open at 3:15 for the devotees to pay homage to Lord Shiva, said director of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) Bhola Sitaula.

Arrangements have been made for the devotees to enter the main temple from three doors (a door in the south of Pingalasthan, another in the west of Jayabageshwori-Bhuvaneshwori, and the third from Mitrapark-Umakunda-Basuki), he said.

The devotees are supposed to exit from the same door they have entered, said another PADT official.

Approximately 1.3 million devotees are estimated on the festival this year, he said.

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote/Reporters’ Club Nepal

KATHMANDU, Dec 26: After, Thamel area, Pashupatinath temple premises — one of the major religious hub — has been made vehicle-free zone. The new rule has been put into place effective from Tuesday, according to Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. Thamel was declared vehicular-free zone on October 22.

“The vehicles are being restricted in the Pashupatinath premises in order to facilitate the tourists and devotees who come to visit the world heritage site,” said DSP Mukunda Marasaini.

Until Tuesday, cars and motorcycles could be driven all the way to the western and southern gates of the temple.

However, emergency vehicles such as ambulances and funeral vans will be allowed to enter the Pashupatinath area. Likewise, locals and residents of the surrounding area will be provided special pass to enter the area.

According to Marasaini, parking areas will be managed in Bankali and Umakunda.

KATHMANDU, Aug 24: Female devotees have started thronging Pashupatinath Temple since early morning today to celebrate Haritalika Teej festival.

The devotees started queuing up at the temple from as early as 2 am, while all four doors of the temple have remained open, said the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).

Approximately 150,000 female devotees worshipped at the temple until 8 am, informed the PADT. Any program has not been arranged to hold a special puja at the temple for today, said Director of the PADT Bhola Sitaula.

Also, female devotees have thronged various main Shiva temples in Bhaktapur to celebrate the festival. RSS 

Photo Courtesy: Mukunda Kalikote

KATHMANDUJ: Hundreds of Hindu devotees from different parts of the country and even from India have thronged the Pashupatinath Temple to offer worship on the occasion of Mahashivaratri today.

Thousands of Saints, Sadhus and devotees have gathered at the temple while devotees have queued up from early this morning to offer worship in the holy shrines.

A large number of security personnel, volunteers, red cross workers and members of local clubs are offering services to the devotees.

The devotees have said that they have felt a great sigh of relief this year to offer worship thanks to well management from the side of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).

About 2,500 sadhus have arrived from India during this year Maha Shivaratri. Vehicles along the Chabahil -Tilganga have remained off the road due to crowds of the devotees.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai expressed the confidence that the Nepal visit by the spiritual guru would help generate spiritual awareness in the society. Founder of The Art of Living Shri Shri Ravi Shanker arrived here on Tuesday on a four-day visit of Nepal.

Ravishankar also visited the Pashupatinath Temple on Wednesday. Guru Ravishankar paid obeisance to Lord Shiva and recited the Hindu scripture