7,00,000 Devotees to Offer Teej Prayers at Pashupatinath Temple

Hindus of Nepal are observing a famous festival Haritalika Teej today by offering prayers to Lord Shiva at various temples across the country.

As part of the celebration, around 7,00,000 devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath temple to offer prayers on the occasion of the festival.

Teej, also known as Haritalika, is a three-day long festival mostly celebrated by Hindu women. While the married women pray for their husbands’ longevity, the unmarried observe the festival to pray for good husbands.

On the first day called Dar Khane Din, devotees eat delicious food items before midnight. Second is the main day, during which devotees observe fast throughout the day without even drinking water. Rishi Panchami is the third day, wherein, devotees break their fast after performing puja of Sapta Rishi.

Devotees celebrate this festival by observing fasts, singing devotional songs and offering prayers all through the day.

To mark the festival celebration, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has already made necessary preparations to host devotees visiting the temple and has kept the temple open since 3 AM today.

“As Teej is primarily celebrated by women, the main temple complex will be off-limits to men on the day of the festival,” Pradeep Dhakal, Member Secretary, PADT.

PADT informed that it has arranged a tight security with 2,764 Nepal Police and 1,500 Armed Police Force personnel around the temple for crowd control and security. Besides, there will be around 4,000 volunteers to support them.