Maha Shivaratri Festival

Nepal is surrounded with many Himalayan regions, plenty of hills and mountains, and the Terai (plain) region, better known as a country with many temples. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. Located in Kathmandu also is the holy Pashupatinath Temple, one of the holiest and pious temples of all Hindus, not only in Nepal, but also throughout the world.

Lord Pashupatinath is the supreme God of the Hindus. Paying Homage to the "Jyotir Lingam" also means a great boon and a successful life to mankind. While paying homage to Lord Pashupatinath, one has to pay homage first of all to the shrines of gods and goddesses outside the Pashupatinath Temple, or one can directly enter through the south gate of the Pashupatinath Temple and pay homage to 64 Lingams, Kirtimukhi Bhairav, Unmatta Bhairav, Astamatrika, Nava Graha, Hanuman and advance towards the west side of the Temple by paying homage to Nandi, Trishul, Jaleshwor, Doleshwor, Basuki Naag,, Gupteshwor, Lal Ganesh, Surya, Jalasahi Vishnu, again paying homage to Aryaghat and resting for a while at Muktimandap. Then, one proceeds by paying homage to Santaneshwor, Shree Krishna, and by touching the Dharmashila, one has to enter the main temple from the south side. One should not encircle Lord Shiva, instead one must make a half-circle, the reason being that one should not cross the holy water offered to Lord Shiva. By entering through the south gate, one has to pay homage to Ishan Mukh (face) and then the Purva Mukh (Eastern Face), one has to return then to the Dakshin Mukh (South Face), and in the same process, one has to pay homage to the Uttar Mukh (North face) and lastly the Pachhim Mukh (West Face). While doing this, the holy water offered to Lord Shiva cannot be crossed over. By coming out of the temple, the entire homage is completed.