Nepal: Sadus and Shivaratri

This year Shivaratri falls on 16th February. To every Hindu Shivaratri is one of the holiest days. This day has been observed all over the world by the Hindus as the birthday of Lord Shiva the only Guru of all Shadu sects.

Most sects are rather moderate in their practices, but some can be quite extreme. Some of the well known sects are: the Naga babas, the Gorakhnathis or Yogis, the Udasin, the Aghoris, and the Ramanandis,

Picture courtesy ©Glenn Losack 2006 All rights reserved

Naga sadhus are a large and a prominent Shaiva sect, who have existed since the prehistoric past. The Naga sect is subdivided into Akharas, i.e. 'regiments', like an army. Their displays of weaponry -- sticks, spears, swords and especially the trident -- have a symbolic function. Among the Nagas many walk naked.

High up in the icy Himalayas naked Bhola Giri Nagababa blows the serpentine horn, called nagphani, or 'cobra-hood', producing one piercing note. This instrument is related to the cobra (naga), the intimate companion of Lord Shiva, always coiled around his neck.

In their nakedness they do not emanate sexuality. On the contrary, they control, inhibit the sexual 'vibrations', retaining its energy so it can be mystically transformed into psychic and spiritual power.

The chilam, a clay pipe smoked by many Sadhus through cupped hands, is filled with tobacco, marijuana and hashish.

The government of Nepal has been providing wooden logs, hashish and marijuana to the visiting babas for keeping them out of cold during February.

Since Nepal had been officially only Hindu state in the world and the temple of Pahupati Nath is situated in Kathmandu, from time immemorial the Shivaratri has been observed with pumps and shows hosting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the world. Among them Sadhus are always front runners.

Picture courtesy ©Glenn Losack 2006 All rights reserved

In the Hindu religion Sadhus are considered as the disciple of Lord Shiva. Many devotees still believe that sometimes Lord Shiva himself incarnates as a Shadu and visits the places like Kumbha Mela and Pashupati Nath. Thus people from far and wide come to Kathmandu for Shivaratri.

However, as Shivaratri is drawing near Kathmandu elites seem raising their eyebrows with many still unanswered questions. As this is the first year of the declaration of the secular state will the government of Nepal keep tradition of welcoming Sadus or will it just do not care? Can the government of Nepal ignore the traditional belief and the values of the majority of the people? Will the role played by the government of Nepal during the Shivaratri indicate the course of the country?

Adding to the unanswered questions, people in Nepal are sensing violence that can trigger during Shivaratri as the World Hindu Federation and other Hindu fundamentalist groups are planning to bring some 30,000 Naga sadhus or Naga babas from India to Kathmandu to stage sit-in and demonstrations to revive the world only Hindu state.

The government has reportedly received information about the infiltration of thousands of fundamentalist Hindu activists from India to join the pro-Hindu demonstrations in Kathmandu.

What would be the streets of Kathmandu like if thousands of Sadhus, infiltrators and simple devotees alike demonstrate during this holly day of Shivaratri?

One can wonder if the government of Nepal should ban the demonstration of the Hindus.