Valley
PADT expects 500k pilgrims on Bala Chaturdashi
The Pashupati Area Development Trust has completed preparations to welcome people who come for the Satbeej Chharne ritual on Sunday in which devotees offer grains to Lord Shiva on the Pashupatinath temple premises.The Pashupati Area Development Trust has completed preparations to welcome people who come for the Satbeej Chharne ritual on Sunday in which devotees offer grains to Lord Shiva on the Pashupatinath temple premises.
People who have lost their parents or family members come to the shrine to spend the night awake, lighting candles in their memory. People from across the country visit Pashupatinath for the purpose.
Govinda Tandon, member secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust, said more than 600,000 Hindus are expected to visit the temple this year for the annual ritual.
“We have prepared tents to accommodate over 35,000 people who arrive here on Saturday evening,” said Tandan. More devotees throng the shrine early on Sunday morning for the ritual.
PADT officials said more than 500,000 people visited the area last year. The Trust has allotted a separate place for people coming for the whole night Jagram in the Kailash area, Ram Mandir, and the western part of the Pashupati Temple.
As in Teej and Shivaratri, police are deployed in large numbers for the security of visitors. Talking to the Post about a new arrangement Tandon said the Trust would light candles for the people in memory of their deceased parent for a fee. “Once they pay Rs1,000 to the Trust, we will light candle in the temple in the name of the departed soul,” he said.