All doors of Pashupatinath open since 3 am

Kathmandu: On the occasion of Mahashivratri festival, all four doors of the Pashupatinath temple are open from 3 am early today.

The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) Information Officer Gauri Shankar Parajuli shared that the devotees had gathered for worship since before 3 o’clock in the morning.

He informed that darshan of Lord Pashupatinath has been possible within half an hour of queuing from Jayabageshwari and 45 minutes to one hour from Tilganga area. Thousands of devotees have gathered in Pashupati area since early morning.

Some 5,000 security personnel and 4,000 volunteers have been deployed to ensure orderly management of the devotees that come to the Pashupatinath temple for pooja and darshan today.

Health camps have also been set up in the Pashupatinath temple premises. Along with Pashupatinath, other temples of Lord Shiva in the capital are also crowded with devotees to mark the Shivaratri festival.

The lord Shiva is also known as Kirateswor, the main deity of Kiraties who ruled the Kathmandu valley for 29 generations, prior to arrival and conquest of Lichhavis. The spouse of Shiva is also known as Shiva and Parvati while Kirati people call them Sunnima and Paruhang.