By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Cannabis smoke fills the air as Nepal marks Shivaratri festival
preview.jpg
A holy man smokes marijuana during Maha Shivaratri festival at the Pashupatinath temple premises in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. - photo by AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Hindu holy men and mostly young devotees openly puffed on cannabis smoke on Sunday, marking one of Nepal's biggest annual festivals. Tens of thousands lined up to pray at the Pashupatinath, the temple of the Hindu god Shiva in the capital Kathmandu, during the Shivaratri festival. Marijuana is usually banned in the South Asian country, but exceptions are made to celebrate Shiva, who has strong links to the practice and has often been depicted smoking pot.