Maha Shivaratri fair preparations ends at Pashupatinath

KATHMANDU: The preparations for the Maha Shivaratri fair at Pashupatinath Temple on Feb 26 have been completed.

The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) announced in a press conference on Monday that all arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth and hassle-free darshan for devotees.

To facilitate the devotees, ten sub-committees have been formed, said Rajkumar Khatri, coordinator of the Publicity and Decoration Management Sub-Committee.

“This time, we have made arrangements for ten devotees to have darshan every two seconds. Our goal is to provide a swift and seamless experience for visitors. We anticipate a larger number of devotees compared to last year,” Khatri stated.

According to him, four queues will be set up outside for temple entry, while inside, there will be three queues each at the western and northern gates and two queues each at the eastern and southern gates.

He also reminded devotees that Pashupati premises are a plastic-free zone and urged them to adhere to the regulations.

“The temple doors will open at 2:30 AM on Feb 26 and remain open until 6 AM on Thursday, Feb 27. We estimate that over five lakh devotees will have direct darshan, and the total footfall, including those visiting the premises, will be even higher,” he added.

A main organizing committee has been formed under the coordination of Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, to oversee the preparations.

Arrangements have been made for sanitation, toilets, drinking water, and footwear storage for devotees.

Khatri further informed that security, publicity, darshan management, overnight stay facilities, accommodation, food, and firewood for sacred dhunis have been arranged.

Various sub-committees are actively working on different aspects, including monitoring, chandan temple management, and religious programs.

Additionally, the temple’s main gate and other key locations will be adorned with flowers, with decorations set to be completed a day before the festival.

A dedicated area has also been arranged for Naga Babas within the main temple complex.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from neighboring India and other countries are expected to visit for Maha Shivaratri.

The Pashupatinath premises have been beautifully decorated with vibrant colors, floral arrangements, and illuminated lights to welcome the devotees.