Naga sadhus or naked ascetics in hundreds from Nepal and India have thronged the Pashupatinath temple to observe the Maha Shivaratri festival on Monday night.
Shivaratri is of prime importance to Hindu ascetics who worship Shiva, one of the prominent Hindu Gods among the trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Lord Shiva is known by numerous names like: Maheshwor, Nilakantha, Mahadev and Rudra, among others.
Pashupatinath temple, a world heritage site finds mention in ancient Hindu scriptures including Puranas. Also mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures is Sleshmantak, an adjoining forest area and the Bagmati river, that flows near the revered temple.
Naga sadhus are renounciates who mediate on Lord Shiva by following their own meticulous prescribed procedures being handed down through ages of their lineage.
They believe that the night of Shivaratri is of significant importance for worshiping Lord Shiva on this occasion leads them to Moksha, that is liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Shivaratri is also of equal significance to Aghori Sadhus who lead more severe life of renunciation. Aghoris observe spiritual exercises on cremation sites. Unlike Naga Sadhus, who are easily noticed in and around Pashupati temple premises, Aghoris are hard to trace for they shun publicity.
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