Nepali King no longer provides leopard and deer skins to visiting Sadhus

[Guest guest]

Visiting Indian Sadhus are unhappy with their official gifts while

celebrating Shivaratri in Nepal. They no longer receive skins of deer and

leopard from the King - something that will actually support the

government's anti-poaching policies....

 

Shivaratri and after : We got measly incentives, say departing saints

 

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 8:

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Giving continuity to the ages-old tradition, the Pashupati Goswara

Karyalaya (PGK) today offered cash and sweet to sadhus (saints) before

their departure. It also threw a feast in their honour.

 

Based on their ‘ranks’, the PGK provided Rs 151 to Rs 751 to 2,500-odd

sadhus, who had poured into the Pashupatinath temple from within the

country and India to mark the Mahashivaratri festival. However, many sadhus

said they were not satisfied with the treatment.

 

Two years ago, the king had offered money, skin of leopard and deer to the

saints, who had arrived for the festival. However, with the revival of

democracy, the tradition of giving away leopard and deer skin has become a

thing of the past. With the king’s cultural rights clipped, the PGK is

solely overseeing the farewell.

 

Today, each Naga, Shree Mahanta and Digambar sadhu got Rs 751, while only

two highest-ranking sadhus got Rs 2,100 each. The second-class Mahantas got

Rs 551 each, Mahapurus Rs 351. While each Sanyasi and Bairagi sadhu got Rs

251, Fakirs got Rs 151 each. Shree Mahanta Ganga Mata, who hails from

Himanchal Pradesh and has been visiting Nepal for 25 years, said the mere

travel fare is around Rs 3,000. The money we got was not enough, she said.

 

Mahanta Santosh Giri from Junna Akhada in Himanchal Pradesh grudged, “Leave

the money matters aside. We did not even get enough firewood to make Dhuni

— the religious fire.

 

Chief of the PGK Megh Raj Sapkota said the PGK could not do more for the

sadhus due to budget constraint. This year, Rs 1, 693,000 was allocated for

the sadhus. “Land is the source of income for the guthi (trust). Our income

has gone down because the Maoists have captured and distributed most of our

land,” Sapkota said. Firewood was in short supply due to the Tarai bandh,

he said, adding somehow they brought in 50 tonnes of firewood from Chitwan.

“We are trying our best to give continuity to the tradition.”