KATHMANDU: Hindu devotees from across the nation are celebrating Mahashivaratri festival today, offering prayers to and worshipping Lord Shiva.

This year’s Mahashivaratri is considered more auspicious as it has fallen on Monday, a day dedicated specially to worship Lord Shiva. The Pashupati Area Development Trust said all preparations were over for hosting over 1.5 million devotees from the country and abroad. All four doors of the temple will be opened from 3:00 am. Necessary arrangements have been made for devotees to enter the core areas of Pashupatinath temple premises through Battisputali-Gushala, Tilganga, Mitrapark-Gaurighat-Umakunda-Rudragadeshwor-Basuki and Jayabageshwori routes.

Pradeep Dhakal, PADT member secretary, said around 7,000 sadhus from Nepal and India had already congregated in the temple area and they were provided with food, accommodation and bonfire. Hanshamandap, Bankali and Tilganga have been designated as residential areas for devotees who wish to spend night. Nearly 100 charity organisations have arranged food for them. The temple area has been decorated with flickering lamps.

A press release issued by PADT said a budget of Rs 5.4 million were appropriated for the purpose of Mahashivaratri. Nearly 6,000 cops from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed for security. Similarly, around 5,000 volunteers will assist the security agencies in managing crowds and facilitating the devotees. Authorities have set up emergency health service centres, security posts, information centres, first-aid treatment centres and temporary toilets.

Metropolitan Police Office said Kathmandu District Administration Office had imposed a ban on the sale, purchase, transportation, storage and consumption of liquor, meat, marijuana and other psychoactive substances on the Pashupatinath temple premises. Plainclothes cops have been keeping vigil on suspects to prevent the sale, distribution and consumption of marijuana.

Similarly, Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has declared Chabahil-Mitrapark-Gaushala-Battisputali, Ratopul-Gaushala road sections, and Gaurighat area as no-go zones for vehicles for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Doleshwor Mahadev temple in Bhaktapur and other Shiva temples throughout the country are also expecting a huge number of devotees tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Nepali Army is scheduled to organise a special function at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel, in Kathmandu, on the occasion of Army Day coinciding with the Mahashivaratri festival, tomorrow. The NA has been celebrating the day of Mahashivaratri as the Army Day since 1935.