Shivaratri (Maha Shivaratri)

Shivaratri which means the Shiva's Night falls sometime in the month between February and March. The festival marks the birth day of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva is one of the three trinity Hindu Gods and the most worshipped. The other two are Bramha-the creater of the Universe and Bishnu-the Keeper.

Shivaratri festival is celebrated in all Shiva Temples but the celebration at Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu is the largest one. More than 100,000 of Hindu devotees from Nepal and India throng weeks ahead of the festival and gather in and around Pashupatinath temple. Pashupatinath, literally means the Lord of animals as Lord Shiva is considered as the guardian and protector of everything that exists in the Himalayan Kingdom . Its interesting to visit Pashupatinath Temple during Shivaratri.

Today, the devotees take bath in the river at early dawn,  fast for the whole day,  make offerings in the temple and in the evening, they make the bonfire and sit around. The devotees also freely indulge in using marijuana and other intoxicating substances as these things are believed to please Lord Shiva and marijuana use is legal only on this sacred day.