KATHMANDU: The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) is preparing to implement special management arrangements similar to those during Maha Shivaratri, as large crowds of devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath temple during the upcoming Shrawan month.
Shrawan is considered a holy month for Hindus, and devotees flock to the temple in large numbers, especially on Mondays and Saturdays.
In response, PADT is mobilizing its officials, including members of its executive council, to monitor and manage the flow of visitors, according to Acting Member Secretary Subash Chandra Joshi.
In an interaction with the leadership of the Religious and Cultural Journalists Society Nepal, Joshi also announced that a dedicated ‘Media Center’ will be set up starting this Shrawan to facilitate media personnel covering the religious events at Pashupati.
Besides Shrawan Mondays and Saturdays, festivals like Haritalika Teej, Bala Chaturdashi, Maha Shivaratri, Nepali New Year (Baisakh 1), and Akshaya Tritiya also draw hundreds of thousands of devotees to the temple, often creating challenges for media coverage and crowd management.
The upcoming arrangements aim to improve logistics and accessibility during these peak periods.
Joshi also said that PADT is expediting the process to bring its long-pending employee regulations into effect.
The draft has reached the Ministry of Finance from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Due to the delay in promotions, staff morale has reportedly declined, prompting plans for new recruitment advertisements within the coming months.
Furthermore, Joshi said PADT is initiating the process to amend the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act to better suit current needs. The Trust also plans to enhance its services using digital tools, including the launch of facilities via the Nepal Government’s Nagarik App.
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