KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 12, 2020 (Online Khabar): Pashupatinath temple is thronged by people all-year-round. Among the many occasions that attract devotees and sightseers from everywhere to the temple, Bala Chaturdashi has its own charm and religious importance in people’s hearts. It is one of the many unique festivals that are only observed in Nepal. When the ritual was first said to be observed, it was limited to the Pashupatinath temple area only. However, with time, for convenience, other shrines and temples dedicated to Lord Shiva have also become the destinations for devotees to observe the day. Observation of this ritual starts from Marga Krishna Trayodashi, the 13th day of the waning moon in the month of Mangsir [December 12 this year]. Devotees who observe this ritual maintain strict fasting, with only one meal that day and abstaining from garlic, onions, fish, eggs and other food items that are said to be impure.
Bala Chaturdashi attracts people in hundreds of thousands every year. But with the Covid-19 pandemic, large gatherings are not permitted. An associate professor at the History and Purana Department at Balmiki Campus, Nawaraj Ghimire, says it is not necessary to discontinue the ritual due to pandemic. “The rituals are mainly celebrated by those who are in mourning and continue this ritual for three consecutive years. And, it is to be observed exclusively in the Pashupatinath area,” he says, “But, if one is unable to reach the holy temple, it is possible for them to observe the same ritual, fasting and continue the offerings from their homes or in any nearby shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.”
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