Marijuana Madness

There are many crazy aspects of Maha Shiva Ratri festival in kathmandu and on that very day devotees and non-devotees (especially youths) freely indulge in smoking intoxicating substances such as marijuana and bhang. Smoking marijuana is not legal but that day one can feel it's legal. Many youths take these intoxicants in the belief that it pleases Lord Shiva for he too is said to be fond of it. Thus marijuana is taken as prasad, holy food blessed by the Gods. Likewise many eager tourists flocks around the temple complex of the Ram Janaki Mandir across the Bagmati river opposite to the main temple complex of Pashupatinath lingering around sadhus and babas in the hope for some prasad from them.