Mahashivaratri festival observed across nation

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 9: Hindus throughout the country observed the festival of Mahashivratri by paying homage to Lord Shiva on Friday.

On the occasion, President Ramchandra Paudel visited Pashupatinath Temple and offered worship to Lord Shiva and took tika and prasad. 

A huge crowd of devotees thronged the premises of Pashupatinath temple and paid homage to lord Shiva by standing in a serpentine line throughout the day. 

The entire Pashupati Area had a different look with colourful flowers, devotees and Sadhus. A huge crowd of devotees thronged the premises of Pashupatinath Temple whereas thousands of devotees paid homage by standing in line.

Thousands of saints and devotees from the country and abroad arrived in Kathmandu to offer worship at the Pashupatinath temple.

Many people were seen crossing the fencing bar to enter Pashupatinath premises from the Tilganga area when the footpaths were blocked and it was not easy to enter from the entrance gate. 

Usha Sah, one of the devotees, who arrived at Kathmandu from Nepalgunj, said “I came today just to observe and enjoy the fair, I tried to enter Pashupatinath area from  Bankali  but found that entrance gate of the area was closed. The footpath of Tilganga area was blocked due to the crowd of devotees, so it became difficult for me to enter the area.”

The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has made arrangements for devotees to offer worship to lord Shiva making four separate lines from different places.

 Rewati Raman Adhikari, spokesperson for PADT, said that the doors of Pashupatinath temple were opened from 2: 00 am for the devotees and it will  remain open till 6.00 am on Saturday. 

More than 1 million devotees have visited Pashupatinath by 7.00 pm. It has been estimated that around 2 million devotees will visit Pashupatinath temple area till 6.00 am on Saturday.     

The arrangements have been made so that nine to 10 people can offer worship  at a time, he said

Devotees, when asked about the line arrangement, said that it took about 2 to 3 hours for them to finish their worship at the temple. 

The roads around the temple were filled with devotees, foreign pilgrims, children and religious tourists. 

Similarly, the movement of devotees also increased at the Chitapol of Sanga, Bhaktapur where the 143-ft-tall idol of Lord Shiva is located.  

Shiva temples outside the valley too were crowded by devotees. A big fair was organised at Haleshi Mahadev of Khotang district, Risheshwor Mahadev of Dolakha, Arjundhara temple of Jhapa, on the auspicious day of Shivaratri.