A visitor poses with a man dressed as Hindu god Hanuman on the eve of Mahashivaratri, on Thursday evening.

A sadhu smokes a traditional clay pipe chillum as a holy offering to Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of creation and destruction, near Pashupatinath Temple.

A sadhu blows a horn.  

A sadhu tries his hand at a camera. Around 1.3 million devotees, including those from the neighbouring India, are expected to visit the temple to observe one of the biggest Hindu festivals on Friday.