Chhaya Darshan observed in Pashupatinath by performing special puja

Kathmandu, Jan 31: Chhaya Darshan was observed in Pashupatinath today by offering devotees a sacred glimpse of Shivalinga, following special worship rituals.

Devotees thronged the Pashupatinath area to observe the Chhayan Darshan. They were arranged in queues to witness the Shivalinga, according to Pashupati Area Development Trust information officer Anita Bhatta. 

The Chhaya Darshan ceremony is held on the Magha Shukla Chaturdashi (the fourth day of the bright fortnight in the Nepali month of Magha) every  year. The ceremony coincides with a significant seasonal transition, as winter gradually recedes and the sun begins its northward journey, marking the onset of longer and warmer days. 

It is religiously, spiritually and culturally believed that during such seasonal transition, a unique and mysterious phenomenon occurs at the Pashupatinath Temple. The event is said to symbolically unite science, history, and spirituality, reflecting the profound depth of ancient Hindu philosophy and ritual practices.

According to culture expert Shreekrishna Dangol, the Chhaya Darshan festival represents a distinctive and rare tradition rooted in Nepal’s original tantric practices.(RSS)