Mahashivaratri today

Devotees throng Pashupati area 

"The festival which is regarded as a national festival, consists of 
warming Lord Shiva in the belief that the Lord also feels cold on 
this day and people organize bonfires at public squares, houses, 
temples and shrines and perform prayers." 

RSS
KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: Hindu devotees all over the Kingdom today 
celebrate the great festival of Mahashivaratri by worshipping Lord 
Shiva at various rivers, ponds and temples since early morning. 

Shivaratri, thought to be the day on which Lord Shiva was born, is 
one of the four nights known as kalaratri, moharatri, sukharatri and 
shivaratri, and is regarded as one of the greatest festivals in the 
Holy Scriptures or Puranas. 

This day is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the lunar month of 
Falgun and is believed to instill faith in those destined to live in 
trouble. 

The Skanda Purana also mentions the importance of Shivaratri. The 
religious belief is that if one offers milk, dhaturo (a kind of 
intoxicating plant) and ?belpatra? to Lord Shiva and observes a 
sleepless fast for the day, one will receive heavenly blessings. 

The festival which is regarded as a national festival, consists of 
warming Lord Shiva in the belief that the Lord also feels cold on 
this day and people organize bonfires at public squares, houses, 
temples and shrines and perform prayers. 

Four kinds of worship including Mahadip, Akhandadip, Lakshya Batti 
and Dipotsav as well as offering of Belpatra will be performed in 
four phases tonight, while classical dances are performed at the 
Kailashkut and Kirateswor Music Ashram. 

In Kathmandu, thousands of devotees from within and outside the 
country, predominantly from India, throng the Pashupatinath temple 
from early morning and queue up for hours for a darshan of Lord 
Shiva. 

According to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), arrangements 
have been made to provide security, lodging, food, medical and 
communication facilities to the visiting devotees. 

http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?file=2006/02/26//topstories/main8