Sadhus and Naga Babas to Receive Offerings and Depart After Mahashivaratri Rituals at Pashupatinath

Sadhus and saints, including Naga Babas, who arrived at Pashupatinath for the Mahashivaratri festival, are set to be bid farewell today with offerings and donations.

It is a tradition for the Guthi Sansthan and the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) to bid farewell to the saints who arrive at Pashupati on the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Falgun ( फागुन कृष्ण एकादशी) for Mahashivaratri, on the new moon day of Falgun (फाल्गुन कृष्ण औँसी).

Deepak Bahadur Pandey, former Deputy Administrator of the Sansthan and someone who has coordinated the farewell for the saints many times, informed RSS that this tradition began after Jung Bahadur's eldest son, Jagat Jung, established the Jagananda Prakashshwar Guthi in BS 1831.

The Sansthan has allocated a budget of approximately NPR 3 million for the farewell. Cards of red, blue, white, yellow, and green colors were distributed to the Naga Babas and other saints upon their arrival for the offerings. Pandey informed that the offerings given to the saints are based on the category indicated by the card they received. The Sansthan stated that the offerings for Naga Babas and saints coming from outside Nepal have been increased so they can reach their nearest borders.

According to Shridhar Sapkota, Treasurer of the PADT, more than approximately four thousand saints have come from outside Nepal and are staying at various locations within the Pashupati area, including the Gorakhnath Math, Ramchandra Temple across Aryaghat, Bhashmeshwor Akhada, Nirmala Akhada, and other spots in the Pashupati complex. Sapkota mentioned that saints belonging to different sects reside at each location.

He stated, "Previously, after feeding the Naga Babas and saints at Pashupati, they were bid farewell with offerings from Kalmochan Ghat in Thapathali. Since everyone killed in the Kot Parva was cremated at Kalmochan Ghat, it was believed that bidding farewell to many saints from here during Shivaratri would bring peace to the departed souls. That tradition has now ended. Currently, Naga Babas and saints are being bid farewell from the main western gate of Pashupati," he said.

The Sansthan announced that Naga Babas and saints residing at the Bairagi Akhada, Udasi Akhada, Sanyasi Akhada, and Nath Akhada at Thapathali Kalmochan Ghat on the occasion of Mahashivaratri will also be bid farewell today with offerings. These saints are being bid farewell from Kalmochan Ghat itself.

Following the implementation of the Revenue Transparency and Worship Management Regulation at the Pashupatinath Temple on Chaitra 26, 2068 BS, the PADT also started bidding farewell to Naga Babas and saints by offering them food and donations starting from the Mahashivaratri of 2069 BS.

Shila Pant, a member of the Trust's Governing Council and Coordinator of the Subcommittee for Saint Service and Religious Program Management, said, "The Trust is preparing to give offerings ranging from NPR 5,001 to NPR 101." She detailed, "The Trust will give NPR 5,001 to 20 saints, NPR 1,101 to 200 saints, NPR 701 to 1,000 saints, NPR 501 to 1,000 saints, NPR 301 to 1,300 saints, NPR 201 to all ascetics, and NPR 101 to everyone else in the line as offerings."

She informed that the Trust has allocated a budget of NPR 800,000 for the offerings to the saints. The Trust is also preparing to bid farewell to the Naga Babas and saints who came for Mahashivaratri by giving them Rudraksha beads that were offered to Pashupatinath throughout the year. Pandey, Deputy Administrator of the Sansthan, stated that 50,000 kilograms of firewood worth NPR 700,000 was purchased for the Naga Babas and saints who came for Mahashivaratri to maintain their sacred fires for five days inside the Pashupatinath Temple and four days outside.

The Trust also announced that the revenue collected in the donation boxes since Chaitra 26, 2068 BS, has reached NPR 150 million, with the objective of establishing the Pashupatinath Temple as an exemplary temple in Nepal through transparent revenue management.

Pile of Garbage at Pashupati

After the Shivaratri fair, the Pashupati area is filled with heaps of garbage. Local resident Gopal Prasad Subedi, a former member of the Trust, stated that it is shameful for the temple premises of Nepal's national deity, Pashupati, which possesses property worth millions, to be covered in heaps of garbage after a fair concludes. "If the Trust had managed things properly, the garbage would not be accumulating in the Pashupati area," he said.

Devotee Laxmi Sharma Dahal, who came for darshan from Kirtipur, mentioned the sad situation where devotees coming for darshan after Shivaratri have to hold their noses to enter the temple due to the piles of garbage. It is a matter of disgrace for the Trust that it cannot manage the garbage immediately despite having thousands of employees, according to the complaints of general devotees.

Dr. Tandon, Member Secretary of the Trust, stated that the Pashupati area appeared dirty due to the arrival of millions of devotees and the offerings, but cleaning has already begun and will be fully completed by Thursday.

Crowds to See Naga Babas

Since the arrival of Naga Babas for Shivaratri, crowds have been gathering to see them since the eleventh day of the dark fortnight of Falgun. The crowds gather because the Naga Babas stay at Pashupati for two days before Shivaratri and two days after.

Pandit Sundar Sharma Kuinkel, who performs puja at the temple premises, stated that among those who come to see the Naga Babas, there is a significant number of college students in addition to other individuals. Students in college uniforms have been entering the Pashupati Temple premises during the Shivaratri occasion. He mentioned that students who roam outside Pashupati with their friends before Shivaratri enter the temple to see the Naga Babas during Shivaratri.

Saint Swami Maheshanananda, who came from Varanasi, India, stated that he comes for darshan every year during Shivaratri because the Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal is the head of the twelve Jyotirlingas located in various parts of India.