President Paudel Pledges Offerings for Sadhus Attending Mahashivaratri at Pashupatinath

Kathmandu. President Ramchandra Paudel has pledged the materials to be provided to the sadhus and saints visiting Pashupatinath on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. There is a tradition of making the pledge on Ekadashi morning for the materials distributed during the farewell of the sadhus who come to Pashupatinath from various parts of the world to celebrate Mahashivaratri, which is observed every year on the thirteenth day of the dark fortnight of Falgun.

The pledge includes 21 types of materials such as a lota, chammar, bell, a set of blankets (radi), and Dakshina (monetary offering), informed Janak Pokharel, spokesperson and law officer of the Guthi Sansthan, to RSS. The pledged materials are given to the main sadhus.

Since its establishment, the institute has been fulfilling the responsibility of arranging for the bonfire, food, and farewell Dakshina for the sadhus and saints coming to Pashupati during Mahashivaratri. There is a tradition of providing firewood for the bonfire, food, and Dakshina during the farewell on the day of the dark moon (Aunsi) for the sadhus and saints coming to the Pashupati area, starting from Falgun Krishna Ekadashi.

The sadhus and saints reside in their respective Akhadas (monastic orders). The Pashupati Area Development Trust stated that more than three thousand sadhus and saints have arrived at Pashupati. The Trust also mentioned that more than four hundred Nagababas are staying within the premises of the main temple of Pashupatinath.

The institute informed today morning that the Nagababas have entered the main temple of Pashupatinath. There is a tradition that Nagababas can stay inside the main temple until their farewell on Aunsi.

The tradition of the Head of State making the pledge for the bonfire, food, and Dakshina to be provided to the sadhus and saints on Ekadashi itself has existed since ancient times. In addition to this, the Trust also makes separate arrangements for the bonfire, food, and farewell. Before the Trust was established, the Institute used to make all the arrangements.

As the number of devotees visiting Pashupati during Mahashivaratri has been increasing every year, the Trust also started allocating a budget for the bonfire, food, and farewell for the sadhus and saints since its establishment.

Spokesperson Pokharel informed that firewood for the bonfire and arrangements for food will be made by the institute starting this evening for the Nagababas inside the main Pashupatinath temple, and for the Akhadas at Gorakhnath, Nirmal Akhada, the Akhada in front of Bhumeshwor Ghat, Ram Mandir, and other locations.

Similarly, for the sadhus and saints at the Gorakhnath, Bairagi, Sanyasi, and Udasi Akhadas in Thapathali, arrangements for food and firewood for the bonfire will be made starting from Falgun Krishna Dwadashi, which is Saturday. The Guthi Sansthan has announced that it has allocated a budget of NPR 4 million for providing bonfire, food, and farewell Dakshina to the sadhus and saints.