KATHMANDU, MARCH 6

A Sadhu follower of Lord Shiva looks on from a temple before a religious rally for the upcoming Maha Shivaratri festival inside Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, on Wednesday.

Thousands of sadhus from India and Nepal come to celebrate the festival of Maha Shivaratri by smoking marijuana, smearing their bodies with ash, and offering prayers devoted to the Hindu Deity Lord Shiva.

Photos by Skanda Gautam for The Himalayan Times