Pashupatinath Temple unharmed in Nepal’s devastating quake

Kathmandu, Apr 27: The famous 5th century Pashupatinath Temple here has survived the massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake that flattened several World Heritages like iconic Dharhara tower and Darbar Square in Nepal. ”The Pashupatinath Temple is safe, we have checked the shrine many times and it has developed no cracks,” a devotee at the temple said.The temple, one of the seven monument groups in UNESCO’s designation of Kathmandu Valley as a cultural heritage site, is the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu whose existence dates back to 400 AD. ”We are not going to offices, shops and residing at the temple only because we feel it is the safest place to be during this devastating time,” said a resident of Kathmandu who lost his family members in the quake on Saturday.People performing last rites at Pashupatinath Temple and relatives are jostling for space in the vast area inside the temple premises. However, lack of adequate space forced hundreds to perform the last rites outside the designated spots.The funeral of over 100 people took place within the premise of the landmark temple yesterday, a devotee said.