Today is Shivaratri – the biggest day to worship Lord Shiva (for us, Pashupatinath). At the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, more than 200,000 people will be trying to enter the temple. Not me, because I am a lazy guy and will in no way have patience to stand in queue for a few hours and I am also a kind of people who don’t believe in deity worship. However, on the eve of the holy festival, I spent two hours around the temple enjoying the glowing Pashupatinath temple and thinking a lot of things.
I was at the temple primarily because our photo journalist Bikash Karki asked to accompany him. He was on assignment and I was free – so were my friends Tapas (tt in UWB) and Archana. Earlier in the day too, I was with Bikash there to cover an event. Here is a photo of that event:
At the evening, the surrounding of the temple were crowded – with the people who want to enjoy the view of the temple and more those who want a puff or two of marijuana that was available through the Sadhus from India. I smelled strong smell of it everywhere I went.
Looking at the glittering temple when Bikash was busy with his camera – I prayed Lord Pashupatinath for the return of peace in the country. That came all of a sudden – I didn’t thought it before but seeing the lord’s temple, I somehow thought he is the only one who can save us and give us back peace and power.
And the surrouding was eventful too. There were stalls that were freely distributing water, tea and food – and those with religious songs and chanting. I thought how beatiful it would have been if those who were spending money for all that would continue serving people for all year long. Wouldn’t that be a worship to the Lord?
