Kathmandu, March 9: A procession has been organised at the Pashupati area today for publicising this year's the Maha Shivaratri festival. The Maha Shivaratri festival dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva falls on March 11, Thursday, this year.    

The procession accompanied by cultural pageants was organised under the leadership of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT). One hundred religious organisations including Nepal Ved Vidhyashram participated in the cultural procession.    

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Bhanubhakta Dhakal inaugurated the procession.    

More than five thousand people including Ministry Secretary Yadav Koirala, PADT member-secretary Dr Pradeep Dhakal, PADT board members Devi Prasad Baral and Asha Pandey, executive director Dr Ghanashyam Khatiwada, among the officials were present on the occasion.    

The procession set out from the Pashupatinath temple premises and reached up to Chabahil Ganeshsthan marching through Pingalasthan, Gaushala, Jaya Bageshwori, Siphal and Lampokhari. It concluded at the temple premises returning via the same route.    

At the conclusion of the procession, Executive Director Khatiwada informed that butter lamps would be lit at the Pashupatinath temple tonight and clean-up conducted on Wednesday morning in preparation of the Maha Shivaratri festival.    

He urged the devotees visiting the Pashupatinath temple for worship on the occasion of the Shivaratri festival to adopt health safety protocols including wearing the face mask.