The Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu wears a colourful look at this time of the year as hundreds of Sadhus (Hindu holy sage) converge on the premises of the Hindu shrine to observe the annual Mahashivaratri festival that falls on Monday.

The festival celebrates the life of Lord Shiva, one of the triumvirates of the Hindu pantheon, who is believed to have drank poison to save humankind and gods from annihilation, according to Hindu mythology.

[Read: Pashupati Area Development Trust completes preparations for Shivaratri]

Making bonfires and smoking marijuana using a ‘chillum’ has become a norm of sorts for devotees, particularly the sadhus (holymen), who visit the Pashupatinath temple in large numbers. An estimated 5,000 sadhus have arrived at the temple from different parts of Nepal and India to observe the festival.

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While the festival is celebrated on Monday, the eve will be a sight to look at where Sadhus will make bonfire and smoke chillum throughout the night.

Photographs of Sadhus and Pashupati premises captured by Post Photographers Kabin Adhikari and Elite Joshi on Sunday.