Green Saun comes alive on social media

Kathmandu, July 21: Long queues have begun to form outside the Pashupatinath Temple and other Shiva temples before sunrise on the first Monday of the holy month of Saun across the country to offer prayers to lord Shiva.

Devotees carrying milk, bel leaves, flowers and other items wait patiently for their turn to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. The month of Saun continues to draw thousands of worshippers to Pashipatinath temple and other Shiva temples in the Kathmandu Valley and outside the valley.

Alongside these familiar scenes, another trend has become increasingly visible on the temple premises- most of the visitors are busy making reels, TikTok and taking selfies and going live on social media before and after worship.

From young girls to middle-aged women, visiting the temple is not just about offering prayers. Many also take photos and record short videos to share on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

“I came here to worship lord Shiva, but I also wanted to capture the moment,” said a 25-year-old college student, Shreejan Basnet from Dakshinkali, while recording a video with her friends after completing the worship.”  

Sangita Dhungel Dhakal, who visited Tarakehswor Mahadev Temple located in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, said, “I think sharing positive experiences also inspires others to visit the religious sites.”

A similar scenario is also found at the Mahendreshwor Mahadev Temple or Makkhan Mahadev, popularly known as the 'Little Pashupatinath' of Makkhan. Devotees were capturing a majestic view of the Basantapur premises in their TikTok videos and Facebook reels after worshipping.

Many women devotees were dressed in yellow, green, or red saris and kurtas, paired with green and yellow bangles. Some groups wore marching outfits, while many had intricate Mehendi designs, adoring their hands, adding colour and festivity to the spiritual occasion.

Despite the growing digital age, the temple remains primarily a place of worship. Some elderly devotees said the increasing use of smartphones reflects changing lifestyles but stressed that visitors should maintain the sanctity of the temple and avoid disturbing religious rituals.

Officials at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said that it had made arrangements for the annual influx of devotees through separate queues. Tirtha Prasad Shrestha, a Member Secretary of the PADT, said that all four gates of the temple were opened at 3 am to facilitate worshippers.

To ensure smooth and orderly management of the large crowds, the Trust has mobilised its staff along with personnel from the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army, Traffic Police, Kathmandu Metropolitan Police, the temple security unit and volunteers from various religious and social organisations.

The number of devotees visiting the temples has slightly decreased this Saun compared with previous years due to Shukar Asta (Venus combustion), said Shrestha.  

As moon rains draped the hills in lush greenery and freshened the landscape, devotees flocked to Pashupatinath, along with Gokarneshwor, Nageshwor, Doleshwor and Makkan Mahadev as well as other Shiva temples across the county.