KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 15
Maha Shivaratri is being observed across Nepal today, with thousands of devotees thronging Shiva temples from the early hours of the morning.
At Pashupatinath Temple, one of the country's most revered Hindu shrines, all four gates were opened from 2:00 am to facilitate worshippers, according to the Pashupati Area Development Trust. Devotees have been taking ritual baths in rivers and ponds before offering prayers on the occasion, which falls on Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi.
More than one million devotees had visited the Pashupati area during Maha Shivaratri last year, and authorities have put in place elaborate arrangements to manage crowds this time. Three external queues have been designated for entry into the main temple premises from the north, south and west sides, along with multiple internal lines to regulate movement inside the complex. Additional queues may be arranged if required.
Parking facilities have been arranged at Sifal, Tilganga, areas beyond Guheshwari, the PADT office premises and Banakali, among other locations.
Besides Pashupatinath, large numbers of devotees have gathered at other Shiva temples in the Kathmandu Valley, including Gokarneshwor Temple and Doleshwor Mahadev. Similar scenes have been reported from Shiva temples across the country.