With the Mahashivaratri festival just around the corner, the Pashupati area has been decorated with lights and flowers to create an exciting atmosphere for devotees. Key locations such as Banakali, Bhubaneswari, the main temple premises, the ghat area, Ram Mandir, and Mrigasthali have been illuminated with twinkling lights, enhancing the beauty of the sacred site. The area now glows throughout the night, with lights designed in the shape of the Nepalese flag drawing special attention.
Dr. Milan Kumar Thapa, Member Secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust, stated that the decorative arrangements, including lights and flowers, extend from the Bhubaneswari road. In addition to the lighting, artistic paintings created for Mahashivaratri have reached their final stage, further enhancing the festive ambiance.
Deepak Prasad Ghimire, a visitor from Balaju, expressed admiration for the decorative elements, particularly the flag-shaped illuminations.
To oversee the preparations, the government has formed a 201-member main event committee under the leadership of Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, who also serves as the chairman of the Trust’s Board of Directors. Nine sub-committees have been established, each responsible for different aspects of the festival. The security management sub-committee is coordinated by Member Secretary Thapa, while the monitoring and data collection sub-committee is led by Treasurer Narayan Prasad Subedi. The volunteer mobilization sub-committee is managed by Hari Prasad Dhakal, and the health services management sub-committee is overseen by Shikshit Parajuli.
Similarly, the ‘Sadhusanta’ and Religious Program Management Sub-committee is coordinated by Dr. Bharat Prasad Badal, and the Publicity and Decoration Management Sub-committee is handled by Raju Kumar Khatri. The Accommodation, Food, and Infrastructure Management Sub-committee is managed by Babusharan Subedi, while the Temple Darshan, Sandal Distribution, and Nighttime Management Sub-committee is supervised by Rameshwor Sangat. Additionally, the Environment, Sanitation, and Footwear Management Sub-committee is led by Renuka Parajuli. The Mahashivaratri Festival Secretariat operates under the coordination of the Trust’s Executive Director, Subhash Chandra Joshi.
Member Secretary Thapa stated that all committees have finalized their preparations to ensure the smooth celebration of Mahashivaratri. The Mahashivaratri festival falls on upcoming Wednesday this year as per the Vedic Hindu lunar calendar.
It is believed that Lord Shiva took the current from on the night of Shivaratri, which falls on the fourth day of the waning moon in the 11th month of the Nepali calendar each year. -- RSS