Pashupatinath Evening Prayers – Sandhya Aarati
Pashupatinath Evening Prayers – Sandhya Aarati is the most loved vibrant ritual of Pashupatinath Temple. The ritual is performed every evening for approximately 1.5 hours. The ritual conducts at the bank of the sacred Bagmati river. The Sandhya Aarati faces to the west from the eastern side of the main temple of Pashupatinath. The holy river divides the temple premises into two sides. The main Pashupatinath Temple being on one side and the location of this Aarati on the other.
The Bagmati river has a great significance in the Hindu religion. Devotees believe that taking a dip in this river washes away sins. Along with different prayer songs, offering cow ghee lamp, and music, incense, and lights regular things to offer the lord. The three priests conduct the Pashupati Aarati custom with oil lamps, lanterns, and other religious elements by chanting the sacred mantra and songs.
Nowadays, the ritual has been the most attractive ritual of the temple area. Thousands of people visit temple premises every evening to attend rituals as a ceremony. The priests perform the Aarati by taking oil lamps and moving them in a circular motion and dedicating their act to the Divine. Devotees sing the Bhajan (songs with religious themes) during the Aarati, creating blissful surroundings. The Aarati starts at 6 pm every evening. This is a ritual that allows everyone to be a part of it and creates an environment of the union of God and the devotees.
The Pashupati Bagmati Sandhya Aarati started as a regular tradition since the year 2006. Since then, this Aarati has been a regular practice captivating hundreds of thousands of people every year.
Important UNESCO World Heritage Site
Pashupatinath Temple is the most visited UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Monument of Kathamndu Valley. People of all religious faiths visit the temple area to witness the cultural and archeological aspects of the temple. Travelers can enjoy the customized tour of the Pashupatinath to observe the evening prayers at the bank of the Bagmati River. Booking a 4 Days Cultural tour of Kathmandu Valley lets you visit all the monuments of UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kathmandu Valley.
Most valuable Hindu Ritual
The Hindu religion considers the Aarati Puja as the most valuable ritual. A Bhajan is a song with praise of gods that is more valuable than a song. Prayer is more sacred than Bhajan, and finally, Aarati is the most important of them all. Hindu believes that the Aarati is the highest form of prayer.
The Bagmati Aarati at Pashupatinath gives reverence to the holy river Bagmati and the Pashupatinath temple. Followers perform the “Tandav” dance at the same time enjoying the moment in full. Tandav is a cosmic dance performed by Lord Shiva at the time of full bliss and Pralaya. The devotees pay homage to Lord Shiva playing the same dance.
Many visitors take part in the Aarati every day. People take Monday as the right day to worship Lord Shiva. There are more attendees at the Aarati rituals on a Monday evening. The Aarati is a prime enchantment at some stage on the day of the Maha Shivaratri and Hari Talika Teej festival.
Hindu faith believes in the presence of God in every living being. Religion posts the significance of good for every person instead of on a top one. The very belief is portrayed throughout the Aarati. During Aarati, prayers are sung for the betterment of complete humanity and Aarati as a primary common purpose. The ritual of Aarati concludes by hailing for the well-being of every living soul and thanking God for the kindness bestowed.