Devotees Flock to Pashupatinath on Last Monday of Saun

Kathmandu. Devotees have crowded Pashupatinath and Shiva temples across the country since early morning on the last Monday of Saun. Despite the heavy rain in the morning, Shiva devotees are entering the temple in queues. Kedarman Bhandari, a member of the Pashupati Area Development Trust Governing Council, informed that all four doors of the Pashupatinath temple have been opened since 3 AM. Devotees are continuing to head towards Pashupati from the Pashupati transit routes of Gaushala, Jayabageshwori, Mitramandap, Chabahil, Maitidevi, Chuchepati, Kumarihal, Bagmati Corridor, Guheshwori, Mrigasthali, Gaurinagar, and Pingalasthan. A long queue of devotees has formed up to Gaurinagar. On this occasion, arrangements have been made for the smooth, safe, and organized darshan and special puja for the devotees visiting Pashupatinath. Devotees bringing water from Sundarijal to offer to Pashupatinath have also formed a queue since early morning. All officials and staff of the Trust have been deployed to make the darshan management more effective, safe, and organized. The temple guard, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepali Army, traffic police, Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, and various religious and social organizations are also providing special services and participation. Traffic police have a heavy presence in Gaushala, Jayabageshwori, Sifal, Mitramandap, Chabahil, and Gaurinagar to manage vehicle movement. The four doors of the temple, which opened at 3 AM, will remain open until 8 PM after the evening aarti. Special puja will only be conducted from 8:30 AM to 12 PM. Queues have been arranged from four sides for temple entry. Although devotees have been arriving since early morning, the Trust stated that there is no situation of having to wait in long queues. Similarly, all essential arrangements, including first aid, have been made for devotees in the Pashupati area. Various organizations have also conducted free health camps. Devotees have also queued up since early morning at all major and minor Shiva temples in the valley, including the famous Shiva temples of Gokarneshwor, Nageshwor, Dolleshwor, and Makhan Mahadev in Basantapur Durbar area, known as 'Little Pashupatinath'.

Photo: Suryams Upreti/Nepal Photo Library