February  08, 2014: The Pashupati Area Development Trust has begun preparations for Mahashivaratri, a major Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, to be observed on February 27.

The festival is observed across the nation by worshipping Shiva and visiting temples. PADT is expecting as many as 700,000 visitors at the Pashupatinath Temple on the day.

A 351-member main festival committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Minister for Culture, Tourism andCivil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha to look after the management for the festival, according to PADT. Eleven other subcommittees will oversee other aspects like managing the lines of devotees, sanitation, security, publicity and health camps, among others, during the festival.

“We are expecting about seven lakh devotees to visit the Pashupatinath Temple this Mahashivaratri,” said Govind Tandan, member secretary of PADT, adding, preparations are afoot to make it a grand national event.

The annual festival is celebrated with great religious fervour in reverence of Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu gods forming the trinity — Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor (Shiva). It falls on the 14th night of the new moon in the month of Falgun (February-March). 

Devotees fast and worship Shiva Lingam in order to appease Lord Shiva on the occasion.

According to Hindu scriptures, Mahashivaratri signifies the transition from the darkness of gloom and ignorance to the dawn of divine joy and knowledge. More than 500,000 devotees from Nepal and India visited the Pashupatinath Temple to mark Mahashivaratri last year. 

Last year, PADT received complaints that it failed to handle the crowd, who were forced to stand up for three-four hours in lines.

“The crowd will be properly managed so that everyone can worship Lord Shiva within minutes,” Tandan said. 

The officials also pledged to work on the shortcomings of previous years for better management of the festival this year. 

PADT has also introduced a provision of entry fees for devotees, who wish to skip long queues. Those who buy tickets will not have to queue up to perform puja as there will be a separate line for them. However, no one will be forced to buy tickets, according to PADT. 

All concerned bodies, including local communities, will be mobilised to make the event successful, said the PADT officials. 

Hundreds of devotees, sages and saints from India visit the temple during the yearly festival. 

The sages from different parts of the country and India have already started to arrive in Kathmandu.

PADT aims to work together with the Nepal Tourism Board for successful conclusion of the festival. 

Grand festival in grand style

• A 351-member main festival committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ram Kumar Shrestha 

• PADT is expecting around 700,000 visitors to visit the Pashupatinath Temple 

• More than 500,000 devotees from Nepal and India visited the Pashupatinath Temple last year

• PADT has pledged to organise the festival in a more organised day this year