KATHMANDU, March 5: The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) completed all preparations for Mahashivaratri on Friday. During Mahashivaratri, around 700,000 pilgrims visit the Pashupati area every year.

Raju Khatri, the member secretary of the PADT, said that keeping in mind the convenience of general visitors, the 'VIP worship’ has been removed this time. He said that this arrangement has been removed based on past experience after complaints were made that ordinary visitors would be inconvenienced when arranging worship for VIPs.

"The PADT has made arrangements to worship Pashupatinath from the Tilganga road in the east," Khatri said, "This time, the devotees who come to worship from all four directions - east, south, Bhubaneswar road and Umakunda road - have been managed. The goal of the PADT is that people have to offer worship within 10 minutes.

This year, for the first time, the PADT has arranged to fill the Bagmati River with additional water. He said that since the devotees who come to the temple want to visit Pashupatinath only after bathing in the Bagmati every year, this time High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilization has arranged to fill 185 million cusecs of water and the water will be filled from 7 PM onwards, he said.

Similarly, he said, the pilgrims have started coming from different countries including India since Monday and arrangements for their food and accommodation are being made in their respective areas.

"It has been decided that Hindu hermits will enter the temple from the Ekadashi day on Wednesday," said Khatri.

PADT Spokesperson Rewati Raman Adhikari said that all necessary arrangements for the Mahashivaratri festival have been completed with the cooperation of the eight sub-committees of different regions formed by the original ceremony committee to manage the festival.

According to him, to manage the Mahashivaratri fair, the main ceremony committee consists of security, worship, sandalwood and night worship management sub-committee, volunteer sub-committee, health protection sub-committee, sage and hermit management sub-committee, sanitation and fair market management sub-committee, publicity and accommodation and food sub-committee, footwear management and environment management and work has been progressed by forming agile sub-committees.

"In view of the past experience of devotees coming to fill the fair during the Maha Shivaratri festival, this time the PADT has arranged adequate toilets," the official said, "This time, the Trust has received information about more than 3,000 holy men and sadhus coming from India and various other countries where Hindus live. Volunteers are also oriented to treat the devotees well. A volunteer code of conduct has also been issued.” 

According to Member Secretary Khatri, the committee formed to investigate the controversy arising about Ganga Aarti is preparing to investigate and submit a study report.

 
• Pashupati_Area_Development_Trust
 
• Shivaratri