Kathmandu, February 25
Preparations for the Maha Shivaratri festival at Pashupatinath Temple on February 26 have been completed. The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) announced during a press conference on Monday that arrangements have been made to ensure smooth darshan for devotees.
To facilitate the large number of visitors, 10 subcommittees have been formed, according to Rajkumar Khatri, coordinator of the publicity and decoration subcommittee.
“This year, we have organised the system so that 10 devotees can get darshan every two seconds. Our goal is to provide a swift and hassle-free experience. We anticipate a higher number of devotees compared to last year,” Khatri said.
There will be four entry lines outside the temple, with three lines each at the western and northern gates and two lines each at the eastern and southern gates. Khatri also reminded visitors that Pashupati is a plastic-free zone and requested compliance.
The temple gates will remain open from 2:30 am on February 26 to 6 am on February 29. “We expect over 500,000 devotees to have direct darshan, with an even larger number visiting the temple premises,” Khatri added.
A main organising committee, led by Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, has been formed for the event. Arrangements for cleanliness, toilets, drinking water, and shoe storage have also been made.
Security, publicity, darshan management, nighttime arrangements, accommodations, meals, and firewood for sacred fires have been organised, with subcommittees already working on these tasks, PADT stated.
The temple’s main gate and other key areas will be decorated with flowers by the eve of Maha Shivaratri. Special arrangements have been made for Naga Babas within the temple premises.
Thousands of pilgrims and tourists from neighboring India and other countries are expected to visit. The Pashupatinath area has been adorned with colorful decorations, flowers, and lights for the occasion.
