Pashupatinath, Gangotri Kalash yatra leaves for Nepal

THE GANGA WATER IN KALASH IS BEING FERRIED BY PRIEST OF GANGOTRI SHRINE

HARIDWAR: Showcasing the unique age-old traditional bonding between India and Nepal, Gangotri-Pashupatinath Kalash Yatra left for Nepal on Wednesday. Under this yatra, sacred Ganga jal in earthen pot is taken to Pashupatinath every year during the onset of winter from Gangotri.

As the portals of revered Gangotri shrine get closed, holy Ganga jal from Gangotri -one of the four Char Dham shrines - is fetched and ferried to the Pashupatinath temple in Nepal.

On Wednesday, the sacred pilgrimage left from the banks of Haridwar to border area of Tanakpur-Champawat from where it will enter Nepal.

The Ganga water in kalash is being ferried by priest of Gangotri shrine Shiv Prakash Rawal who will reach Pashupatinath next week and anoint Shiva lingam of Lord Shiva at the temple in Kathmandu.

“It is a unique pilgrimage that connects the neighbouring nations of India and Nepal. Both have same social, religious, spiritual, living style and geographic similarities. For Indian devotees revered Pashupatinath is as revered shrine as is Gangotri for Nepal people. We hope this tradition continues and strengthen our deep cultural ties,” said Gangotri shrine priest Shiv Prakash Rawal.

Akhara Parishad president (Niranjani faction) Ravindra Puri said the Ganga is a deity given living entity status by the Indian government while Pashupatinath temple is a world heritage site. “So linking these two shrines through this yatra is of much significance and blissful for devotes of Lord Shiva”, he said.