Kathmandu, February 14 The famous Pashupatinath Temple, dating back to the 5th century, located on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River in Nepal, is beautifully decorated for the Mahashivaratri festival to welcome hundreds of thousands of devotees, including those from India, on Sunday.
Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal visited the revered Hindu shrine on Saturday evening to assess the security arrangements and preparations for the grand event.
The Pashupati Area Development Trust, the organization responsible for managing the temple's affairs, is ensuring the convenience and security of approximately eight lakh devotees who are expected to visit the temple on this occasion.
Thousands of visitors, including devotees and sadhus, have already arrived at the temple premises, as the temple doors will open at 2 am on Sunday, according to officials. All four gates of the temple will remain open for devotees.
At least 6,000 security personnel, including those from the Nepal Army, have been deployed for the occasion, as the election date of March 5 is approaching.
Help desks have been established at various locations by the Nepal Scout in coordination with various volunteer organizations.
An estimated 4,000 to 4,500 sadhus are expected to arrive at Pashupatinath for the occasion. In addition, approximately 500 Naga Babas are also expected to arrive.
According to officials at the Pashupati Development Trust, out of the eight lakh visitors, approximately 2,40,000 are expected to arrive from neighboring India.
Various organizations are providing drinking water, free tea, and meals for the devotees at the temple premises. The temple and surrounding area are beautifully decorated with flowers, garlands, paper flags, and colorful lights.
