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Kathmandu, September 2
Pashupati Area Development Trust said more than 500,000 Nepali women visited Pashupatinath temple since early morning to observe the auspicious Haritalika Teej festival today.
The PADT had said yesterday it expected around 300,000 women to visit the temple.
The PADT, afterseveral years, had opened all the four doors to the temple since 3:00am today.
The eastern door of the temple, which is generally used to fetch holy water from the BagmatiRiver was opened after 11 years, according to PADT officials.
The doors will remain open until mid-night today.
Hindu women celebrate HaritalikaTeejby fasting, merry-making and offering prayers to Lord Shiva.
Women, especially married ones, observe the fast for at least 36 hours wishing for happy marital life, while unmarried women fast wishing for an ideal husband.
The festival also marks the devotion of goddess Parvati towards her consort Lord Shiva.
Nepali women wish for similar conjugal life.
Women who thronged Pashupatinath temple area today sang and danced, most of them attired in red all day long.
Press Coordinator of PADT Gauri Shankar Parajuli said that this year women did not have to wait in line to enter the premises for more than two hours.
&Unlike previous years, every body who came to the temple got inside within 30 minutes to two hours of queuing up.& In previous years, women had to wait for hours in line before entering the temple.
PADT also said that 4,000 security personnel both in uniform and civvies from Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were mobilised in the Pashupati area today for the security of devotees.
Similarly, most of the Pashupati area was under CCTV camera surveillance.
An integrated security plan was enforced in partnership with security personnel belonging to Nepal Police, Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, National Investigation Department, and PADT.
Similarly, a large number of scouts and volunteers from various organisations and more than a dozen health camps were set up to provide assistance to devotees and facilitate them.
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