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Editorial
Religion and Belief
Nepal Observes Bala Chaturdashi, A Festival To Give Salvation To Departed Souls
In Remembrance Of Beloved Ones, Nepali Hindu Devotees Offer Oil-fed-lamps Into The Bagmati River Flowing Through The Premises Of Pashupatinath Temple In Kathmandu On The Day Of Bala Chaturdashi. The Live Lamps Are Floated On The River Which Is Believed To Lighten The World Of Departed Souls In Their After-life. Devotees Remain Awake Throughout The Night Camping On The Edge Of Bagmati River Facing The Pashupatinath Temple. Rituals For Bala Chaturdashi Starts From Marga Krishna Trayodashi, The 13th Day Of The Waning Moon In The Month Of Mangsir (8th Month According To Nepali Calendar). Devotees Who Observe This Ritual Maintain Strict Fasting, With Only One Meal That Day And Abstaining From Garlic, Onions, Fish, Eggs And Other Food Items That Are Said To Be Impure. In The Evening, They Reach The Pashupatinath Temple Or Shrines Dedicated To Lord Shiva And Chant Hymns And Prayers To Lord Shiva All Night Long. They Light “Akhanda Jyoti” In The Name Of The Deceased Souls Of Their Families. The Next Morning, Marga Krishna Chaturdashi, They Take A Holy Bath And Start Their Journey Around The Pashupatinath Temple Premises Spreading Seven Kinds Of Grains Along The Way. The Seven Grains (also Called Satbeej) Include Dhaan (rice), Jau (barley), Til (sesame), Gahun (wheat), Chana (chickpeas), Makai (maize) And Kaguno (foxtail Millet). Devotees Walk Along Kailash-Suryaghat-Gaurighat-Aryaghat-Guhyeshwari-Mrigasthali-Bishworup-Kirateshwar-108 Shivalinga.
