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What is Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal?
Maha Shivaratri Festival is one of the holiest festivals of the Hindu followers. Literally, the word Shivaratri is the derivative of Shiva (the Supreme God of Hindus) and ratri (night). As a whole, Shivaratri is the night dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva is one of the members of the holy trinity of Hinduism with Brahma and Vishnu being other two. He is believed to be the great ascetic, the master of fertility, poison and medicine, and Lord of cattle. Thus, the Hindu followers from all over the world revere Him as the Supreme God who also stands for the Protector.
Most of the festivals are observed during nights; however, this is one of the few night festivals of the Hindus. This Nepalese festival falls either in Magh, the 10th or Falgun, the 11th Nepali month according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar. This year we celebrate in March 03 ( 03/03/2022 )
As per the Gregorian calendar, Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal is celebrated from mid-February to mid-March. If you want to be a part of this holy celebration, we recommend you to plan Shivaratri Festival Tour in Nepal in the right time.
How is Shivaratri Festival in Nepal celebrated?
Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal is celebrated by the Hindus of all walks of life. The Pashupatinath Temple premises are decorated from a week prior to the festival with lights, gates, and stalls.
The colourful lights and tents all around the temple make this shrine more than just a religious place. Everyone who reaches there feels highly elevated spiritually.
The Pashupati Region Development and Management Committee make all the arrangements from the security to volunteer services for this day. From a week ago, sadhus-santas (sages and pious yogis) from all around the world come to Pashupatinath and reside by performing their rituals.
Nearly 1000 such sadhus-santas visit the Pashupati Region every year to observe the Shivaratri Festival. These ascetic and holy persons are the highlights of Shivaratri Festival Tour besides Lord Shiva.
On this day, devotees, especially women keep fasting and pay a visit to the nearest Lord Shiva Temple. They worship and spend time by singing hymns to pay homage to Lord Shiva. This is exactly what happens in Pashupatinath Temple as well.
The Pashupati is highly crowded by the Hindu followers for praying their Supreme Lord while international tourists visit there to experience a religious tourism in Nepal.
The devotees spend the entire night of Shivaratri by singing hymns and worshiping Lord Shiva. They believe that Lord blesses them with their wishes regarding good health, fertility, and long life.
The night environment seems more elevating than the morning and day. Once you be there on this occasion, you understand the religious performance and beliefs of the Hindus.
Pashupatinath Temple is a part of Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour in other times as well. However, visiting Pashupati on Shivaratri Festival is more significant as it gives you a lifelong experience of religious tour and trekking in Nepal.
Where is Shivaratri Festival Tour?
Maha Shivaratri Festival Tour takes you to Pashupatinath Temple, one of the 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nepal. This Hindu Shrine of Nepal is located about 5 km north-east from Thamel, Tourist Hub of the Kathmandu Valley.
You can reach there either by walking or riding in a taxi or using a public transportation service. But on Shivaratri Festival Day, you have to walk all the way from Narayangopal Chowk or Kamal Pokhari or Koteshwor because the traffic is prohibited on this one day festival of Nepal.
Next spot of Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal Tour around Kathmandu is Sanga, Bhaktapur on the way to Dhulikhel Panauti Namobuddha Tour. From Thamel, you can hire a taxi or private jeep to reach Sanga that lies along the Araniko Highway. It is just around 24 km eastern part of the Kathmandu Valley.
Bhaktapur Sanga is famous for Kailashnath Mahadev Statue dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is a 143-feet tall statue made of copper, zinc, concrete, and steel. It is also the tallest Shiva Statue in the world. This statue has made Sanga a highlight of religious tourism in Nepal.
On Shivaratri Festival Day, devotees make a visit since early in the morning till late evening to pay their homage to Lord Shiva.
Concluding Words
Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal is an important aspect of religious tourism in Nepal. This particular night is dedicated to the Supreme God Lord Shiva by Hindu followers.
They worship the Lord all day and night long to please Him who blesses the followers with whatsoever they wish.
To experience Maha Shivaratri Festival in Nepal, we recommend you to plan between mid-February and mid-March. Before that, reach out to https://himalayanconnections.com/ to confirm the date of this holy festival of Hindus as it might fall in different dates every year.
