Today, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) officially welcomed B.S Binaya Adiga as the newly-appointed Bhatta of Pashupatinath Temple.
According to Gourishankar Parajuli, who oversees cultural preservation at PADT, Bhatta Adiga entered the Pashupatinath temple and received a formal initiation called Diksha from Chief Bhatta Ganesh Bhatta.
The process of welcoming the new Bhatta involved following the traditions of the various deities in the Pashupatinath Temple area. After the appointment, Bhatta Adiga remained in seclusion for five days.
Bhatta Adiga was chosen by PADT based on the recommendation of the main Bhatta Coordinator of the Vidvat Parishad.
Adiga, hailing from a Brahmin family in South India, has taken on the role of the priest at Pashupatinath Temple.
The previous priest of Pashupatinath Temple, Ramakanta Bhatta, stepped down from his position around four months ago due to health reasons.
