US EditionCannabis smoke fills the air as Nepal marks Shivaratri festival
Devotees honored Shiva with marijuana use at Nepal's Shivaratri, despite general bans; about 81% of Nepal's population are Hindus, officials said.
- Tens of thousands queued at Pashupatinath temple, Kathmandu for the Shivaratri festival, where Hindu holy men and mostly young devotees openly puffed cannabis smoke.
- Culturally, Shiva's links to cannabis explain why Nepal usually bans marijuana but allows exceptions during his celebrations, reflecting its 1960s marijuana reputation before the 1976 outlawing.
- Across the Bagmati River, ash-smeared holy men gathered on Bankali hills while devotees prayed and danced at the temple and pilgrims from neighboring India attended.
- Under Nepal's laws, users face up to one month imprisonment and traffickers up to 10 years, while campaigners and parliament members' reform efforts have stalled.
- Visitors from neighboring India traveled to Kathmandu for Shivaratri, reflecting Nepal's 1960s hippie‑era marijuana tourism and the festival's role in regional tourism and cultural memory.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Holy smoke: Cannabis fills the air as Nepal marks Shivaratri festival
KATHMANDU, Nepal — Hindu holy men and mostly young devotees openly puffed on cannabis smoke on Sunday, marking one of Nepal’s biggest annual festivals. Tens of thousands lined up to pray at the Pashupatinath, the temple of the Hindu god Shiva in the capital Kathmandu, during the Shivaratri festival. Marijuana is usually banned in the South Asian country, but exceptions are made to celebrate Shiva, who has strong links to the practice and has oft…
Devotees in large numbers throng Nepal's Pashupatinath Temple on Mahashivaratri
A massive crowd of devotees queued from early morning to offer prayers and worship Lord Shiva at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu on Sunday on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, one of the most revered Hindu festivals in Nepal.
Devotees begin arriving at Pashupati Temple in Nepal for Mahashivaratri festival
Kathmandu, Feb 14 (PTI) The famous fifth century Pashupatinath Temple situated on the bank of the holy Bagmati river in Nepal is elegantly decorated for the Mahashivaratri festival to welcome hundreds of thousands of devotees, including from India, on Sunday. Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal visited the revered Hindu shrine on Saturday evening to take stock of the security arrangements and preparations for the grand occasion. The Pashupati Area De…
Kathmandu. Kathmandu Police has requested people not to wear expensive jewelry while visiting temples on the occasion of Mahashivaratri festival. Stating that there may be incidents of theft and robbery in crowded areas including Pashupatinath Temple, the police have requested people not to wear valuable jewelry and not to bring important and expensive items. District Police Range Kathmandu spokesperson, Superintendent of Police (SP) Pawan Kumar…
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