Mahashivaratri, a yearly Hindu festival which is celebrated in devotion to Shiva holds the great religious importance. Festival celebrated on 13^th night and 14^th day of Magha month of the year according to Hindu calendar, in 2014 fell on February 27. Once the celebration of Mahashivratri in Nepal is talked about, Pashupatinath Temple can’t be kept aside.

Lord of destruction yet very revered, Shiva the supreme Hindu Lord inhaled the entire venom that could have destroyed the universe and hence his body got the bluish complexion. The wild of the wildest, Lord Shiva is one of the three most significant denominations of Hinduism. A third eye on his forehead, a snake snuggling around his neck, the crescent moon graced and the River Ganga emerging from his entangled hair, his hands holding his weapon  trident (Trishul)  and the damaru as his instrument are the most identifiable and iconic attributes of Shiva.

Mahashivratri is not only about the religious aspect attached to the festival. It also holds equal significance regarding the crazier side of it; the mass of several hundred thousand getting high inhaling marijuana. The government report says 7-8 hundred thousand of devotees visited Pashupatinath during Mahashivratri 2014.

On the 26^th night the temple premises and its vicinity were adorned with colorful lights which illuminated the entire area as broad daylight. Fresh signs of crazy stuffs were abundant. The wooden fires, surrounded by hemp elated holy saints, cigarette butts dispersed throughout and mass chanting “Jaya Sambho”; the entire place was occupied by spiritually intoxicated devotees.

During the day on 27^th, Hindu women, most of them in red attire were seen standing on a long queue which extended beyond the temple ground to the streets of Kathmandu. Hungry and thirsty, yet incredibly patient; patience to offer the prayers to Shiva linga (a symbol of Lord Shiva’s inseminating organ which is considered very holy by Hindus), the line of swarming devotees kept on stretching further and the place became more crowded. The holy songs dedicated to Shiva continuously filled the ears and the volunteers to systemize the mess were sweating to wet.

On the other side of Bagmati River devotees, resident Sadhus and yearly visitors to Pashupatinath including naked babas, aghoris (holy sadhus who live on human corpse) depicted the height of the craziest state of devotion to Shiva. Civilization has not made an impact on those babas (saints). Perhaps, being the devotees of Shiva they might have transformed their external appearances which resembled their master Shiva.

Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), led the team of Nepalese Travel delegates while participating in the Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) held in Bangalore, India.

During India’s largest Travel Show TTF, nine Travel  Companies of Nepal accompanied NTB. The Travel Trade Fair was held from January 3 to 5. According to NTB visitors at TTF, made inquiries about Nepal´s prime touristic highlights as well as the pilgrimage destinations like Pasupatinath, Muktinath and Manakamana among others.

The statement of NTB says “Visitors also inquired about pilgrimage tour to Kailash Mansarovar via Nepal. The soft adventure holidays like trekking and rafting, leisure tour of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan, and entertainment segments are also found popular among young travelers of India”, NTB statement adds.

News source: Republica

Mahashivaratri (Lord Shiva’s Night) will be observed tomorrow. Pilgrims from all over Nepal as well as India are already thronging Gaushala, the site of the Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest shrine in Nepal dedicated to Lord Shiva.
More info at Mahashivaratrti – The Night of Lord Shiva.

Mahashivaratri is celebrated in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity. Shivaratri falls on the moonless night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Fagun.

According to a popular legend, Shivaratri marks the wedding day of Lord Shiva and Parvati. Some believe that it was on the auspicious night of Shivaratri that Lord Shiva performed the ‘Tandava’, the dance of the primal creation, preservation and destruction.  Hence the day is considered to be extremely auspicious by Shiva devotees and celebrated  as Mahashivaratri – the grand night of Shiva.

Hindus consider it extremely auspicious to worship Lord Shiva on a Shivaratri as it is believed that worship of Lord Shiva on this day absolves a devotee of past sins. The devotee is  liberated from the cycle of birth and death and attains moksha or salvation. Shivaratri is considered especially auspicious for women. While married women pray for the well being of their husbands, unmarried women pray for a husband like Lord Shiva, who is regarded as the ideal husband.

[Photo Credit – Rajesh Hada]

At Pashupatinath, the shrine of Lord Shiva, devotees from far and near come to worship Lord Shiva.  The ascetics and sadhus become the centre of attention, as they throng to the temple in their unique garb.