Feature: Less devotion, more intoxication at Hindu's Shivaratri festival

Hindus from across the world celebrated Maha Shivaratri festival this week in devotion of Lord Shiva. The auspicious occasion is celebrated annually in the Nepali month of Falgun, especially in the holiest Pashupatinath temple located in Kathmandu.

Shiva, also known as Mahadev, is regarded as the Hindu God of immense power and destruction.

On this day, Hindu devotees observe a period of fasting and offer milk and green leaves called 'belpatta' to Lord Shiva. Prayers are made, and firewood known as 'dhuni' is lit and burned all night. They also sing hymns related to Shiva, his wife Parbati and their residence Kailash.

One of the major attractions of the Shivaratri festival is the visiting sadhus (or sages) from different sects in India. Every year in the Nepali lunar month of falgun, a few thousands sadhus or naked babajis gather at this religious shrine. But instead of devoting themselves to worship and prayers, these ash-smeared sages with long hair and heavy accessories are mostly seen getting intoxicated.

They engage in smoking hashish and marijuana or 'bhaang', as it's known in Nepal .They mix up some tobacco, marijuana and other cannabis-derived compounds and after inhaling seem to become lost in a different world for as long as two days. They also offer "prasad" a religious food presented to the deities during the festival.

These holy men believe that consuming marijuana enables them to overcome all the miseries and complexities of life.

"It's the occasion to devote ourselves to lord Shiva by getting lost in intoxication. Smoking charas and marijuana is Lord Shiva's favorite act, so we are following the same ritual," an Indian sadhu from Bihar told Xinhua.

They not only enjoy themselves, but also sell marijuana and hashish to the youths around the temple. Those products are illegal across the year, however, but are traded freely on this particular day.

Nepalese youths seem to enjoy getting high on marijuana. They can be seen to be constantly hovering and talking excitedly with the sadhus to satisfy their curiosity. The youths believe that such practices enable them to overcome their bodily pains and give them momentary pleasure.

A 19-year-old management student, Deepak Nepal, who was seen buying a cigarette filled with marijuana from a sadhu near the Pashupatinath temple told Xinhua "I came here with friends just to interact with these saints and enjoy 'bhaang.' It should not be taken as a negative activity as even Lord Shiva used to consume it. "

Youths were seen buying marijuana in Rs 20-50 (up to about 50 U. S. cents), depending upon quantity and demand from the sadhus. Sadhus, who mostly avoid cameras or demand money if captured in photos or videos, are often lost in a trance and dance the night away.

Hanuman Das, 72, a Hindu saint, who arrived from Janakpurdham for the festival said he was a regular at the festival.

"We come to this religious shrine annually to mark this festival, as Lord Shiva is the creator of human existence. But few so-called babajis have polluted it," he told Xinhua.

There are two categories of sages found during the festival, one are actual devoted sadhus and the other are just those dressed as babajis. Real sadhus are free from the materialistic nature of society and devote themselves to Lord Shiva through prayer and meditation. But the babajis are found just enjoying themselves and selling marijuana to the local youths and making good money.

These holy men, joined by a large number of Nepali youths, light'dhuni' and have a good night-out with hashish.

According to the Pashupatinath Development Trust, 5,000 sadhus arrived at the temple this year from different parts of neighboring India. Endi