By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Feb. 13: With the Maha Shivaratri approaching closer, saints and sadhus have started arriving in the holy Pashupatinath area.  

This year, the Maha Shivaratri festival falls on Ferbruary 21.

Sadhus are found staying at the Annapurna rest house, Ram Mandir, Gorkhanath Temple and other shelters of the Pashupati area.

During the Shivaratri, hundreds of sadhus will visit the Pashupati from several parts of India and Nepal.

Guthi Sansthan has managed around nine to ten trucks of logs to make fires for four days from Yakadashi to the day after of Shivaratri. The logs have been brought to the Pashupatinath to distribute to the sadhus, said Bhola Prasad Sitaula, director of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).

The PADT will provide additional logs if the logs managed  by Guthi Sansthan become insufficient for them. As per the tradition, Guthi Sansthan will provide three meals a day for sadhus and saints for four days, he said.

Hundreds of sadhus from six sects like the Nath, Aghor, Udashi, Bairagi and Naga will be visiting the Pashupatinath on the occasion of Shivaratri. 

Saints, sages and sadhus are the major attraction of Maha Shivaratri fair, Many sadhus come from various parts of the country and abroad. The movement of sadhus and devotees has already increased in the Pasupatinath area, he said.