Pashupatinath Temple, Religion, Tourist Attractions
Nepal is one of the only kingdoms in the world where the majority of the local inhabitants have taken up the Hindu religion as a form of worship. There are many different temples and shrines throughout the whole country where one can go and pay homage to the different gods worshiped in the Hindu religion.
One of these temples is the Pashupatinath Temple, which is considered one of the most sacred and divine temples of Pashupati that you could ever go to. The Pashupatinath Temple is situated in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal near the Bagmati River. Near the river is where you will find Arya Ghat where most of the dead are taken and cremated. The market adds to the hustle and bustle of the capital, providing not only souvenirs but also religious supplies used for worship like cloth and dyes.
Each day you will find hordes of people from all over Nepal and India pilgrimaging to the temple of Pashupati in order to give worship to Pashupati, “the master of all living beings in the universe”. They start off this process early in the morning where they are blessed by Lord Shiva. Each year there is a formal celebration called Shivaratri, which means “night of Lord Shiva”, that is attended to by thousands of people.
Within the temple is a large black stone idol that is attended to by four priests all of whom have originated from southern parts of India. These four priests also have the responsibility of worshiping Pashupatinath all year round even during official periods of mourning.
Pashupatinath temple is only accessible to those of the Hindu faith, for those who are not they must be satisfied with viewing the temple from a distance. Even from a distance it is worth viewing the gold and silver temple glittering in the sun.