Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) on Saturday bade farewell to the sadhus, who had travelled to Pashupatinath Temple for the Shivaratri festival.  

The PADT organised an event where 3,500 sadhus were offered Dakshina or donation for gracing the festival by their presence. The sadhus were offered Dakshina sum ranging from Rs 5,001 to Rs 1,01 based on their seniority, said Gobinda Tandon, the PADT member secretary. Prasad (religious offerings of food) was also doled out to the sadhus.

Although around 5,000 sadhus had visited the Pashupatinath Temple for Shivaratri this year, many had left for their respective abode, immediately after the festival. According to the PADT officials, Rs 700,000 was allocated to look after the visiting sadhus this year.    

Some shadus who did not receive the monetary offerings on Saturday expressed their dissatisfaction to the PADT. 

Tandon said they have pledged to provide Dakshina to the sadhus upon hearing their grievances. 

 “ We plan to give the remaining shadus the Dakshina on Monday. We don’t want anyone to leave unhappy,” said Tandon. 

Tandon said there was a increase in the number of Sadhus this year. Around 2,200 sadhus had attended the Shivaratri festival of last year. Most of the sadhus come to Pashupatinath from Janakpur, Chitwan, Birgunj, Nepalgunj, and neighboring India.

Around 1 million devotees and revellers had visited the Pashupatinath Temple this year for Shivaratri festival on Thursday. PADT officials said this year, the main temple collected around Rs 945,000 in religious offerings made by the devotees. 

   “This is a slight increase from last year’s collection. However we haven’t counted the coins,” said Tandon.