Hindu devotees all over the country today are celebrating the great festival of Mahashivaratri by worshipping Lord Shiva at various rivers, ponds and temples since early Monday.
In Kathmandu, thousands of devotees from within and outside the country, predominantly from India, throng the Pashupatinath temple from early morning and queue up for hours for the darshan of Lord Shiva.
Shivaratri, thought to be the day on which Lord Shiva was born, is one of the four nights known as Kaalratri, Moharatri, Sukharatri and Shivaratri, and is regarded as one of the greatest festivals in the holy scriptures of the Hindus—the Puranas.