On the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, sadhus and saints visiting Pashupatinath Temple are being bid farewell today with donations. Following tradition, the Guthi Sansthan and Pashupati Area Development Fund conduct the farewell on Falgun Krishna Ekadashi.
According to former deputy administrator Deepak Bahadur Pandey, this tradition started in 1874 BS (1831 AD) when Jagat Jung, the eldest son of Jung Bahadur, established the Jagananda Prakasheshwar Guthi. The Guthi has allocated a budget of around NPR 3 million for the farewell.
On the day of the event, sadhus receive donation cards in red, blue, white, yellow, and green, with offerings distributed according to their level and status. The institution has increased donations for Naga Babas and sadhus coming from outside Nepal so they can reach nearby borders safely.
Around 4,000 sadhus are present across the Pashupati area, including at Gorakhnath Math, Ramchandra Temple, Aryaghat, Bhasmeshwar Akhada, Nirmala Akhada, and other locations within the temple complex.
Treasurer Shridhar Sapkota noted that priests from different sects are present at each location, reflecting the diverse traditions of the Pashupati area.
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