Happy Shivaratri!

[deathbydalbhat 0]

Mahashivaratri being observed today

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 16 - Mahashivaratri, one of the Hindu festivals, is being observed across the country with Hindu devotees thronging the temples of lord Shiva and worshipping him for well being in their lives, on Friday

Like every year, a fair is being organized in the premises of Pashupatinath temple in the valley. Devotees not only from all parts of Nepal, but also from all over south Asia region have arrived to mark Maha Shivaratri, one of the major Hindu festivals.

Named after the night on which Lord Shiva appeared on the earth to appease a devotee who had worshipped him all night, it is one of the most sacred nights mentioned in the holy books.

On this day devotees observe fast and have a unique drink prepared by mixing Bhang and Dhaturo in milk.

Likewise, pilgrims from Nepal as well as India are celebrating Maha Shivaratri at Shivalayas in Sunsari, Bharatbihar, Ramdhuni, Baraha, Itahari, Dohabi, Sankhwasabha, Dharan, Siraha and Saptari.

Similarly, famous shrines of Lord Shiva like Pindeshwori Shiva Dham in Sunsari, Pindeshwori Baba Dham in Dharan, Tarkeshwore Temple in Siraha, Shadanand Guthi in Bhojpur, Sidhdha Baba Dham in Palpa are also crowded with enthusiastic pilgrims from all over the country and India.

Tens of thousand of devotees arrived in the capital yesterday from different parts of the country to worship lord Pashupatinath, one of the incarnations of lord Shiva.

The temple premises have been decorated to mark the festival. The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has arranged for two main queues for pilgrims leading to the temple - one along Mitrapark-Umakunda-Kailash-Basuki temple and the other along Gaushala-Bankali Dharmashala and Pancha Deval.

The Pashupati temple was opened from 2 am in the morning and will remin open upto 8 PM in the evening.

PADT expects some 300,000 pilgrims to worship Pashupatinath this year.

Every year, the festival attracts well over 5,000 nanga (naked) babas and other babas from various holy places of India to Pashupatinath temple. According to PADT, over 2,000 babas have already arrived at the temple as of Wednesday evening while hundreds others are believed to have been stranded on the way due to the valley banda on Thursday.

Nirmal Kuinkel, member secretary at PADT, informed that nine separate sub-committees of PADT and some 300 social and religious organizations have been engaged in providing services to pilgrims.

Posted on: 2007-02-15 22:31:57 (Server Time)

http://www.ekantipur.com

Edited February 16, 2007 by deathbydalbhat

[maya62 7]

Happy Shivaratri to you, mero satthi!

I hope you get to hear the drums...

Maya Didi

[deathbydalbhat 0]

Happy Shivaratri to you, mero satthi!

I hope you get to hear the drums...

Maya Didi

Tapailai pani!!!

Nice hearing them over the phone, but wish I was there in person - I feel sad because I can imagine how my guy will miss Pashupatinath - somehow celebrating Shivaratri at the Flushing Ganesh Temple won't be the same, and not just because Bhang Lassi won't be served....

eKantipur has some nice photos up now: http://www.kantipuronline.com/mahashivaratri.php

Check out the last photo of the guy in the Bagmati - is he insane???

Edited February 16, 2007 by deathbydalbhat

[maya62 7]

I know what you mean...

Nepali culture seems so incredibly rich to me... religions and traditions mixing, the line between the world of the gods and our world blurred, everything bathed in ritual, dance, color, sound, smell, etc... To me, our culture here in the US seems very young and unimaginative. But my guys have adjusted well, and I bet Kumar will, too. He'll have the advantage of being close to touchstones where you live.

And we will all just have to travel back to Nepal as often as possible! Such a hardship... lol. I can't wait... I hope we can swing a trip this summer when A is off from school.

*closing my eyes and seeing/hearing/smelling Kathmandu*

We'll be forever in the doorstep between the two worlds...

Maya

[ELW 5]

Happy Sivarathri!!

I loved celebrating Sivarathri in India - no Bhang Lassi however! Just singing bhajans all night long with the bright lights and cool outside air... it was so surreal, like a nice long dream. It was funny how people old and young felt comfortable just laying down on the ground when they felt tired, while others right beside them kept singing away. Ahhhh the memories...

[deathbydalbhat 0]

I know what you mean...

Nepali culture seems so incredibly rich to me... religions and traditions mixing, the line between the world of the gods and our world blurred, everything bathed in ritual, dance, color, sound, smell, etc... To me, our culture here in the US seems very young and unimaginative. But my guys have adjusted well, and I bet Kumar will, too. He'll have the advantage of being close to touchstones where you live.

And we will all just have to travel back to Nepal as often as possible! Such a hardship... lol. I can't wait... I hope we can swing a trip this summer when A is off from school.

*closing my eyes and seeing/hearing/smelling Kathmandu*

We'll be forever in the doorstep between the two worlds...

Maya

*sigh* Ahh, Didi, you forgot 'tasting' - how can you forget Bhaktapur dahi or yak cheese pizza or (my current craving) chili chips? I know my guy will miss buff momos... Kasto mitho thiyo, hoina???

I think I will miss Nepal almost as much as K will - it's been less than 9 months since I was there and your post almost made me cry... There are certain smells (like kerosene or juniper, or frying donuts, or ghee lamps) and sounds(the *ding* of those big prayer wheels at Swayambhu, the Monday morning procession to Pashupatinath outside my guesthouse window) which are so evocative of Kathmandu, in my dreams I have never left... I am still careful to not rub my forehead thinking there is kumkum or chandan on it... I wear 300 rupee plastic chappals around the house every day which I bought in Boudha...

K and I will have to just dream, and keep Nepal in our hearts, and home, and save our money to go back as often as possible... hope you will be there in June, maybe??? We can meet in Boudha..

[deathbydalbhat 0]

Happy Sivarathri!!

I loved celebrating Sivarathri in India - no Bhang Lassi however! Just singing bhajans all night long with the bright lights and cool outside air... it was so surreal, like a nice long dream. It was funny how people old and young felt comfortable just laying down on the ground when they felt tired, while others right beside them kept singing away. Ahhhh the memories...

Did you see the movie Short Cut to Nirvana? It's about the Maha Kumbha Mela in 2001 - I actually saw it twice in the theatre(there is a fantastic theatre in Queens with $5 matinees showing great indie/foreign films) and so wished for 'smell-o-vision' I felt like I was in India and It's exactly how you describe - the lights, the music, people just relaxing and going with the flow... Get it on Netflix - I also recommend 'Water' if you haven't seen it, nominated for Best Foreign Film Oscar...

[ELW 5]

Did you see the movie Short Cut to Nirvana? It's about the Maha Kumbha Mela in 2001 - I actually saw it twice in the theatre(there is a fantastic theatre in Queens with $5 matinees showing great indie/foreign films) and so wished for 'smell-o-vision' I felt like I was in India and It's exactly how you describe - the lights, the music, people just relaxing and going with the flow... Get it on Netflix - I also recommend 'Water' if you haven't seen it, nominated for Best Foreign Film Oscar...

Super - thanks for the tips! I just put Shortcut to Nirvana & Water on my online Blockbuster queue and moved them to the top.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Nothing wrong with a little (or a lot of) bhang.

[deathbydalbhat 0]

Nothing wrong with a little (or a lot of) bhang.

The Bhang in Nepal is the best *cough* so I've heard *cough* - It's the Datura mixed with it that scares me...

There are some nice Bhang Mithai recipes on the 'net - don't forget, Holi is just around the corner!!!