The day marks the 14th night of new moon in the Nepali of month of Falgun (February-March). the Pashupatinath Temple in the Capital sees the highest footfalls, with devotees from all over the world, especially neighbouring India, visiting the holy shrine for the festival.
The government said it has already completed preparations in Pashupatinath to host around 1.2 million devotees from home and abroad. The government has declared public holiday to celebrate the day. According to Hindu scriptures, Mahashivaratri signifies the transition from the darkness of gloom and ignorance to the dawn of divine joy and knowledge.
Hindu devotees all over the country today celebrate the great festival of Mahashivaratri by worshipping Lord Shiva at various rivers, ponds and temples since early morning.
Shivaratri, thought to be the day on which Lord Shiva was born, is one of the four nights known as Kalaratri, Moharatri, Sukharatri and Shivaratri which is regarded as one of the greatest festivals in the holy scriptures of the Hindus --the Puranas.
The Skanda Purana, another holy text of the Hindus, also mentions the significance of the Shivaratri.
The religious belief is that if one offers milk, Dhaturo (a kind of intoxicating plant) and 'Belpatra' to Lord Shiva and observes a night-long fasting, he/she will receive heavenly blessings.
The festival which is regarded as a national festival consists of 'warming' Lord Shiva in the belief that the Lord also feels cold on this day and people organize bonfires at public squares, houses, temples and shrines and perform prayers to please Lord Shiva.
Four kinds of worships including Mahadip, Akhandadip, Lakshya Batti and Dipotsav as well as offering of Belpatra will be performed in four phases tonight, while classical dances are performed at the Kailashkut and Kirateswor Music Ashram.
In Kathmandu, thousands of devotees from within and outside the country, predominantly from India, throng the Pashupatinath temple from early morning and queue up for hours for the darshan of Lord Shiva.
According to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), arrangements have been made to provide security, accommodation, food, medical and communication facilities to the visiting devotees.
However, the Pashupati Area Development Trust said anyone caught possessing or smoking marijuana, except sadhus or sages, at the temple during the Mahashivaratri festival would be detained at least for 24 hours. Referring to the past trends, Sushil Nahata, PADT member secretary said most of the youngsters visit the holy site to puff on weeds instead of paying homage to Lord Shiva.
Officials said those selling and puffing cannabis, except sadhus, are under their close watch. “Sadhus may possess and enjoy marijuana as prasad on the special day in accordance with the religious tradition, but they are not allowed to sell and distribute it to the general public. We have instructed police to take legal action against sadhus if they are found selling or distributing the substance to persons other than their fellows,” Nahata said.
He also informed that two sadhus were ostracised from the Pashupati area after they were caught selling marijuana to teenagers earlier this week. Possessing, selling and smoking marijuana is punishable by the existing Narcotic Drug (Control and Punishment) Act in Nepal.
Earlier, police had caught a person selling hashish and marijuana on the Pashupatinath Temple premises. Sunil, who goes by a single name, was found in possession of 100 gram hashish and one kg marijuana. In the past, the government used to provide marijuana to sadhus during the festival. The relationship between marijuana and sadhus is as old as Hinduism.
In yesteryears, many sadhus were found to be coming to the Pashupati area ‘to carry out two jobs at the same time’ — pay homage to Lord Shiva and sell marijuana to prospective clients for money — during the Mahashivaratri festival, which draws Hindu devotees in droves from across the world. PADT is expecting to host around 4,500 sadhus including naga babas this year. Meanwhile, local pubs in the neighbouring areas have been warned not to sell and distribute liquor as it is likely to disturb law and order situation during the festival when tens of thousands of devotees throng the temple.
source: The Himalayan Times,10 March 2013
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