Thousands of Devotees Visit Pashupatinath Temple on Last Monday of Shrawan
Thousands of Nepali Hindu devotees visited the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on the last Monday of the holy month of Shrawan. According to the Pashupati Development Trust, about 115,000 devotees attended from 4 am to 12 pm.
All four doors of the main temple complex were opened to facilitate the worship. Monday, known as Sombaar, is derived from the Sanskrit name ‘Soma’ meaning Lord Shiva and ‘baar’ meaning day. The month of Shrawan, the fourth month according to the lunar calendar, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered even more special if there are five Mondays in the month.
The month of Shrawan also marks the start of many festivals until Maghe Sankranti. Fasting on Mondays during Shrawan is believed to cleanse the soul and revitalize the body. Prashamsha Khadka, a devotee, said, ‘The month of Shrawan is now ending, I have been keeping fast on every Monday of this month. Today is the last Monday of this holy month and this day is very auspicious and special for me. Keeping fast on Monday of Shrawan would give a good husband and bring prosperity to the family, so I kept the fast throughout this month.’
Though anyone can observe the fast, it is most popular among women, especially unmarried ones, who believe it will help them find a good husband. Married women fast for the prosperity, peace, and well-being of their family members. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva drank poison during the elixir mining in the ocean (Samundra Manthan) in this month. Goddess Parvati observed fasting and got Lord Shiva as her husband. The chanting of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is common during this period, bringing positive vibes. Some people also recite the Mahamrityunjay chant.
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Pashupatinath Temple -: Pashupatinath Temple is a very famous and old temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, one of the main gods in Hinduism.
Shrawan -: Shrawan is a special month in the Hindu calendar. It usually falls around July and August and is considered very holy, especially for worshipping Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva -: Lord Shiva is one of the most important gods in Hinduism. He is known as the destroyer and transformer and is often worshipped for his power and kindness.
fasting -: Fasting means not eating food for a certain period of time. In this context, people fast on Mondays during Shrawan to show their devotion to Lord Shiva and to pray for good things in their lives.
prosperity -: Prosperity means having good fortune, wealth, and happiness. People believe that fasting and praying to Lord Shiva can bring prosperity to their lives.
chanting -: Chanting means repeating a word or phrase over and over. In this case, people chant ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ to show their devotion to Lord Shiva.
Om Namah Shivaya -: ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ is a special phrase in Sanskrit that means ‘I bow to Lord Shiva.’ It is often chanted by devotees to show respect and devotion.