TikToking banned in Pashupati

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Aug 29 : If you are planning to visit Pashupatinath on Tuesday to pay homage to Pashupatinath on the occasion of Teej festival and sing and dance with friends, it will be fine. But if you take photograph or film a video with your mobile phone, you will surely be fined. 

The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said it would fine the devotees if they took photographs of the main temple of Pashupatinath and its premises in Teej and at other times. 

Taking photographs inside the Pashupatinath Temple has already been restricted. But many devotees could be seen taking photographs on the main temple premises. But, now the PADT is determined to prevent the devotees from taking photographs. 

Rewati Raman Adhikari, a spokesperson for the PADT, said that 20 to 25 devotees were caught while they were taking photographs in the prohibited area on Mondays in the month of Shrawan.  

“Some devotes paid cash fines when they did not listen to our request. No one is allowed to enter the temple from the main gate carrying a big camera but mobile phones are still allowed because of their small size,” he said. 

Adhikari said that the Trust has found pictures taken on the temple premises and even in the temple uploaded on social media.  The devotees take pictures taking advantage of the crowd hiding from the CC cameras. 

The Trust has made preparations to discourage people from taking pictures and posting them on social media and making TikTok after it witnessed a rise in such a trend in recent months. 

The Trust will slap a fine of Rs. 2,100 for taking the picture of the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, Rs. 1,100 for taking the picture of the main temple, and Rs. 500 for taking the picture on the main temple premises. 

Visitors can take pictures freely at the core area and main entrance gate of the temple. 

If the trend of taking pictures of the main temple and its premises does not stop in the coming days, the PADT is thinking about prohibiting people from carrying electronic devices while entering the temple premises in the future, he added.