KATHMANDU, Feb. 18: Today Mahashivaratri festival is being celebrated all over the country with the worship of the adorable god Mahadev. Today, devotees have thronged temples across the country, including the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, to worship Lord Mahadev.

Today, people bathe in the river to purify themselves and reach the temple early in the morning to worship Lord Mahadev with reverence. There is currently a crowd of devotees at Pashupatinath temple. Since this morning, devotees have been queuing up to worship Pashupatinath.

Named after the night of Shivaji's birth, this festival is mentioned in books such as Shiva Purana as one of the four main nights named Kalaratri, Moharatri, Sukharatri, and Shivaratri.

Revatiraman Adhikari, the spokesperson of the Pashupati Area Development Fund, said that the line of pilgrims was moving smoothly because of the restrictions except for volunteers. He said that so far about one and a half lakh pilgrims have visited Pashupatinath. On the occasion of Mahashivratri, all four gates of Pashupatinath are open from 3 am. Devotees gathered before 3 am for worship.