KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 17
Special security arrangements have been made on the premises of Pashupatinath temple to prevent any untoward incident ahead of Teej festival.
Hindu women will observe Haritalika Teej tomorrow by fasting, singing, dancing and offering prayers to Lord Shiva. At least 45,000 cops, both in uniform and civvies, from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department will be deployed to ensure the security of devotees.
The temple premises will be under surveillance of around 70 CCTV cameras.
Similarly, nearly 2,000 volunteers from 40 organisations will help the Pashupati Area Development Trust to provide necessary support to the devotees, including the elderly.
Arrangements have been made in such a way that no devotee has to stand in queue for more than an hour to visit the temple. All four doors of the temple will remain open from 3:00am. The northern, southern and eastern doors, however, will remain closed at around 1:30pm for around 20 minutes for regular rituals in the temple.
The PADT said it had completed all preparations to host women devotees in Pashupatinath temple. According to PADT, there will be four entry points from Tilganga, Chabahil, Mitrapark and Guheshwori through which devotees could proceed towards the temple in lines. The elderly and persons with disabilities need not stand in queue. Around a dozen health camps have been set up to provide emergency medical service to the devotees. Likewise, arrangements of an information centre, and temporary and mobile toilets have also been made.
The District Administration Office has imposed a ban on sale and consumption of liquor and psychoactive drugs around the temple.
The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has declared the Chabahil-Mitrapark-Gaushala-Battisputali, Ratopul-Gaushala and Gaurighat-Gaushala road sections as 'no-go zone' for vehicles tomorrow. Devotees can park their vehicles in Tilganga, Sifal and Guheshwori.
Teej is a three-day long festival marked by gatherings‚ singing‚ dancing, eating dar and rigid fasting. The first day, dar khane din, was celebrated today. The second day is the fasting day or the main day of Teej.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 18, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
