KATHMANDU: Preparations for Mahashivaratri have begun at the Pashupatinath temple, with large-scale cleaning and beautification efforts underway.
Led by Dr Milan Kumar Thapa, Member Secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust, the cleaning campaign saw participation from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Trust employees, locals, and devotees.
According to Thapa, the temple premises will be decorated attractively for the festival. Murals of various Hindu deities are also being created, and the Trust has already started work on these artistic additions.
Acting Chief of the Cultural Conservation Division, Ishwar Bhandari, stated that preparations are being made with the expectation that many saints who attended the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, India, may also visit Pashupatinath this year.
The number of saints arriving for Mahashivaratri has been increasing annually, and officials anticipate a larger gathering this year due to the Mahakumbh.
A meeting of the Trust’s Board of Directors is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday to finalize preparations for the festival.
Mahashivaratri, which falls on Krishna Trayodashi of the Nepali month of Falgun, draws thousands of devotees from Nepal and India to the sacred Pashupatinath temple every year.
This year, the festival will be observed on Wednesday, February 26, according to the calendar approved by the Nepal Panchanga Nirikh Development Committee.
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