Maha Shivaratri

Kathmandu, Nepal

Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in reverence of the god Shiva. It is the day Shiva was married to the goddess Parvatii.

All through the day, devotees chant "Om Namah Shivaya", the sacred mantra of Shiva. Penances are performed in order to gain boons in the practice of  Yoga and meditation, in order to reach life's highest good steadily and swiftly. In Nepal, millions of Hindus attend Shivaratri together from different part of the world at the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathamandu.

Inside the temple courtyard Pashupatinat, a Sadu, from India, with the body completely painted in honor of Shiva.
The right hand up and open is a sign of welcome, respect and peace
Women gather in a circle around a fire to warm up and pray together
Many are the faithful who spend the day praying and reading sacred scriptures
This man has made the choice, already for several years, not to cut his hair, which today have reached the length of several meters.
To meditate and get in touch more deeply with Shiva, it is customary during celebrations, mariuana smoking
The concentration that the faithful are able to reach is very strong and intense, although there is always great confusion around.
The "trishula" is a type of trident originating from southern India. It is the symbol and the weapon used by Shiva
In the early morning it is still very cold, and the pilgrims who have slept all night in the open are covered with heavy blankets and woolen caps.
A Sadu doing yoga to relax the mind and to be closer to Shiva
Some of the faithful read the prayer book for hours, never stopping and looking away from the book
A Sadu, with his hands, carries a bowl full of sacred water from the Bagmati river. The river passes inside the important Hindu temple Pashupatinah, where the birthday party of Shiva, the "Maha Shivaratri" takes place every year.
A depiction of Shiva, with around the offers money, fruit and flowers
There are thousands of faithful, who take turns waiting for the meal to be offered to them
Even throughout the night the faithful sing and pray together around the fire to keep warm from the harsh February weather
Even throughout the night the faithful sing and pray together around the fire to keep warm from the harsh February weather
To enter the Temple, allowed only to the Hindus, the faithful line up for hours. Practically for all four days of celebrations, there is a very long line to enter the temple, day and night