Shaivite Ascetics Converge In Kathmandu Ahead Of The Maha Shivaratri

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Shaivite Ascetics Converge In Kathmandu Ahead Of The Maha Shivaratri

A Shaivite ascetic smeared in ashes poses for a photo in the premises of Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, on February 13, 2026, as he arrives to attend the Maha Shivaratri. As the festival of Maha Shivaratri approaches, ascetics or ''Hindu holy men,'' including Sadhus and Naga Babas, start arriving in Kathmandu from neighboring India as well as from various parts of Nepal. On the occasion of Maha Shivaratri, one of Hindus' major festivals, they arrive in Kathmandu today in a ceremonial procession and enter the Pashupatinath Temple through Gate No. 1. Among the four sects of ascetics -- Sannyasi, Vaishnav, Nanak, and Udasi -- Naga Babas belong to the Sannyasi sect. On the occasion of the festival dedicated to Lord Shiva, saints from these four different sects gather at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)


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