Pashupatinath Temple

These days one can pay Rs 15,000 and conduct evening aarati at Pashupatinath temple. I don't know who introduced this tradition in Kathmandu and when. It certainly is not origin to Nepal but a borrowed tradition from India, where they do evening aarati in the Ganges, and here it's on the banks of most sacred River Bagmati, flowing East of the Pashupatinath temple.

Although its only Spring, we are already two Seasons ahead, landing on Monsoon and escaping Summer. My family reached Pashupatinath at 6:00 PM on May 1, to participate in evening aarati hosted by my cousin and her husband in the name of their late fathers. Rain poured as we got off of taxi and hailstone pelted strongly. We were all drenched up to knee. My mom couldn't stop complaining about the weather and we were all worried if aarati would be canceled due to incessant rain. But, luckily rain slowed down its pace of pouring and then clouds were out and we had wonderful aarati session as planned. 

For those who don’t know what evening aarati is, it is an hour long oil wick lamps offering to Lord Shiva and the river Ganges starting at 19:00 hours sharp. Alongside are melodious devotional songs, the ringing of bells, blowing of conch and breeze that carries the fragrance of camphor. 1 hour will vanish in blink of an eye. It is so serene and peaceful.

All the blogs and articles about Pashupatinath starts "One of the most sacred Hindu temples of Nepal – Pashupatinath Temple is located on both banks of Bagmati River on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu", which is true because, that is how we clichedly perceive Pashupatinath like we do "Buddha was born in Nepal" for Buddha.

Pashupatinath for me is one of the dear temples in Nepal or even in whole world because of its history, its location, its vastness, its sacredness, its inclusiveness of many other tiny temples dedicated to manifestation of Gods Shiva and Bishnu, maze of 184 Shiva Lingas which is so unique and mostly because of our beloved Shiva Shambhu.

And the photography prohibition in the temple vicinity only adds  the curiosity to the outsiders. But having said that, I have seen many photographs stolen on mobile phones.

As you enter the temple you see huge Golden Nandi (bull), Lord Shiva's stride sitting right in front of the main temple as if guarding the main Shiva Linga.

When I see this Nandi, I recall the incident few years ago, when a girl, probably her first visit to Pashupatinath, merrily pointed at Nandi and shouted “Mommy katro bhaisi” (Mom, look at the huge buffalo), and her embarrassed mom hushed her with, its nandi not bhaisi’

Pilgrim queue up from everywhere just to catch 2 seconds glimpse at the Lord. You have police and all kinds of security constantly chanting "chito chito", i.e hurry up ,and pulling out people mongering unnecessarily.

Circumambulating is always done from left to right, I mean keeping the deity on the right. Pilgrims throwing rice and flowers and daubing vermillion on every single shiva lingams and bowing on the base is a norm. 

Amongst Shiva Linga jungles there are; Vasuki Nath Temple, Unmatta Bhairav Temple, Surya Narayana Temple, Kirti Mukh Bhairav Shrine, Budanilkantha shrine, Hanuman shrine and my favorite 184 Shiva Linga maze shrine. Every time we manouver around this maze I wonder what beautiful photos one could make here, but sadly its prohibited.

Hindus from as far as India come to visit this sacred abode of Shiva, not only for darshan (propitiation) but to seek shelter during the last days of lives to meet death, be cremated on the banks of the river, because the bank is also a sacred cremation ground. It is believed that those who die at Pashupatinath Temple are reborn as a human, regardless of any misconduct that could worsen their karma. 

Jay Sambhu 

Location: Gaushal

Getting There: Walk from Gausahal Chok