Milan Kumar Thapa, member secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust told PTI that special arrangements had been put in place to accommodate the large influx of worshippers. To maintain decorum during the festivities, local authorities imposed a ban on the sale and consumption of marijuana, hemp, alcohol and non-vegetarian food. The temple officially opened doors at 2:15 am, allowing devotees to enter through all four gates and receive darshan of the Shiva Linga.
Authorities are expecting more than one million devotees to visit the temple on the auspicious occasion. To ensure the safety of devotees and to facilitate smooth prayers, 4,000 security personnel and 10,000 volunteers have been deployed.
The temple complex and its surroundings are beautifully adorned with flowers, colourful lights, paper flags, and banners, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere, especially after dark.
Also read | Maha Shivratri 2025: From Somnath to Kedarnath, 12 Jyotirlingas to visit in India
To manage the heavy crowd, officials have arranged eight internal queues and four external queues. In addition, specific entry routes, including Mitrapark, Gaushala, and Pingalasthan, have been designated, with proper queue management systems in place. A separate lane via Tilganga Ram Temple has also been prepared in case of overcrowding.
In coordination with various organisations, the Maha Shivaratri Main Celebration Committee, headed by Minister for Tourism and Culture Badri Prasad Pandey, is providing free meals, drinking water, and medicines to devotees.
By 9:30 am, approximately 150,000 devotees had already offered their prayers, and this number was expected to surpass one million by Thursday morning, according to Rewati Raman Adhikari, a senior official at the Pashupati Development Trust.
Adhikari also mentioned that around 3,500 Sadhus, including approximately 700 Naga Babas, had arrived from India to participate in the festivities. The Sadhus were being provided with free meals, water, sanitation facilities, accommodation, and medicines.
Furthermore, as a token of respect, the Sadhus would be given cash incentives based on their ranks, with the maximum amount being NRs 15,000 as Dakshina before their departure on Thursday.
Also read | Mahashivratri 2025: Seek Lord Shiva’s blessings at these 10 must-visit temples in and around Mumbai
Maha Shivratri is a time for fasting, prayer, rituals, and temple visits, all in honour of Lord Shiva, also known as Maheshwar or Mahadev—the Lord of Lords. It symbolises the triumph of light over darkness, with the light of knowledge overcoming ignorance and suffering.
Devotees believe that offering prayers at the Shiva Linga, which represents the Supreme Being, brings blessings and salvation.
According to the Hindu calendar, Falgun Krishna Chaturdashi is considered an auspicious day when Lord Shiva bestows mercy upon the poor and distressed, marking the observance of Maha Shivratri.
During the festival, worshippers purify themselves, visit Shiva temples, and offer milk, sweets, Dhatura flowers, and Bel leaves to Lord Shiva. It is also believed that fasting and staying awake throughout the night in devotion bring spiritual fulfilment and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Many devotees light bonfires and sing sacred hymns and chants as part of their offerings.
Traditional music and dance performances are organised at the Gaurighat, Mrigasthali, and Kirateshwar ashrams, adding to the festive spirit surrounding the temple. Pashupatinath attracts devotees not just from Nepal and India, but from other parts of South Asia on Maha Shivratri.
