Maha Shivaratri is one of most popular Hindu festival of Nepal. Hindu people celebrates it in the month of Feb/March where God Shiva is regarded as supreme Hindu god of creation as well as destruction. Maha Shivaratri is birth-night of Lord Shiva.

Nepal has large number of Hindu people who strongly believe to god and goddess. There are 80% Hindu people in Nepal who visit Pashupatinath Temple during Maha Shivaratri festival. During this festival, Hindu people visit Pashupatinath temple which lies in eastern part of Kathmandu. Pashupatinath temple is a temple of God Shiva, who is sitting in the form of Pashupati (Lord of Animals.) On the Occasion of this festival, thousand of Hindu people worship to Shiva’s sexual part called SHIVA LINGA. Holy Men (Sadhus) who have long hair and beard smoke hashish and walk naked near the temple and bless to the people to have creation. People light the sacred fires, and speak mantra “OM NAMA SHIVBHYA”.

It is said that God Shiva protected world from the dangerous poisons, therefore people started to celebrate this festival by thanking Shiva for protecting world. During this festival, Hindu people have whole day fasting who worship to Shiva Linga by chanting mantras, offering Beal Leaf and pouring water and milk on the Linga.

Who is God Shiva?
There are three powerful Gods in Hinduism. They are Brahma (God of Creator), Bishnu (God of Operator) and Shiva (God of destroyer). God Shiva lives in Himalaya region at Mount Kailash with wearing sanke and deer skin by smoking hashish. Shiva plays his musical instrument called DAMARU and Trishul. Shiva wearn Rudraksha on his neck having long hair and ox is his vehicle. Parvati is the wife of Shiva having two sons; Ganesh and Kumar.