KATHMANDU: All four doors of the Pashupatinath temple will open at 3 am on Monday for the festival of Hartalika Teej. The Pashupati Area Development Trust has announced that arrangements have been made to ensure a smooth and secure experience for devotees. This year, the festival falls on Monday, Sept. 15.

Inside the temple premises, devotees will be managed through eight separate lines. There will be three lines on the north side, two on the east, one on the south, and two on the west. The management has set up the system to allow eight devotees to offer prayers at once. Transparent mesh screens will be placed on the north, east, and south doors, and there will be no special puja or special darshan services this year.

To manage the crowds, the trust has designated specific routes for devotees arriving from different directions, including Mitrapark, Gaushala-Jayabageshwori, Sinamangal, and Pingalasthan. As Teej is a festival primarily for women, men are prohibited from entering the core area of the temple. Regular male devotees must enter before 5:30 am.

Security will be reinforced by the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City police. Plainclothes officers will be deployed to monitor for pickpocketing and suspicious activities. The sale and consumption of meat, alcohol, and other intoxicants are strictly prohibited in the Pashupati area.

The trust clarified that no passes will be issued for darshan. Local residents may move through the area using passes issued by Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward-8. Organizations providing volunteer services are required to work under the coordination of the Nepal Police. A facility for storing footwear has been established near the Ram temple, with security personnel assigned to ensure its safety.