Devotees throng Shiva shrines on special Monday

Kathmandu, July 22  ,,  Devotees have thronged the shrines dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva across the country, including the Pashupatinath, Gokarneshwar and Nageshwar temples here, from early morning today in observance of the first Monday of the Nepali month Saun. The month of Saun is dedicated to lord Shiva and especially Monday which is already a day dedicated to him has special significance in this month. All the four gates of the Pashupatinath temple were opened since 3 am today for devotees to pay obeisance to the lord Shiva, Pashupati Area Development Fund (PADT) member secretary Dr Pradip Dhakal said. PADT has made arrangements for facilitating the devotees lining up for entry to the temple. Devotees are urged to queue up from four places to get into the temple. As per the religious belief, one’s wishes are fulfilled and lord Shiva will shower fortune on the devotees who visit the shrines dedicated to him and pay homage after taking early morning shower on the first Monday of the month of Saun. Among the devotees at Pashupatinath and Gokarneshwar, women devotees outnumber the male devotees. The Pashupatinath area is teeming with women devotees clad in red and green outfits. Mostly, women observe a fast and pray lord Shiva on the first Monday of Saun, the married of them wishing for long life and good luck to their husbands and the unmarried ones wishing for a suitable life partner. President of Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam said the scriptures have mentioned that all should pray Shiva in the month of Saun and on Monday for happiness, peace and prosperity. The month of Saun is considered especially auspicious if it has four Mondays. This year, the month of Saun has four Mondays.