Kathmandu: On the eve of the Mahashivaratri festival, 2081, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited and paid an obeisance at the Pashupatinath Temple this evening. He performed pooja and aarati at the temple and acquired information from the officials of the Pashupati Area Development Trust about the preparations for the Mahashivaratri festival.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Prime Minister Oli directed the PADT officials to ensure that the festival is conducted in a safe, disciplined, dignified, and organized manner. He also emphasized making arrangements for easy darshan for the incoming devotees and pilgrims.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, Secretary at the Ministry Binod Prakash Singh, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Rishiram Tiwari, and others accompanied the Prime Minister to the Pashupatinath Temple. Devotees present in the temple premises expressed their happiness over the presence of the Prime Minister during his visit to the temple of Lord Pashupatinath, the revered deity of the Hindus.
A grand fair and worship are scheduled to be held at Pashupatinath on Wednesday to mark the occasion of the Mahashivaratri festival. Meanwhile, the PADT has announced that all preparations for the festival have been completed.
Furthermore, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, has issued a notice prohibiting the production, sale, transportation, storage, and consumption of meat, alcohol, and intoxicants within the four forts of the Pashupatinath Temple from February 24 to 27.