March 2, 2020
ASIA / PACIFIC
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 5
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CENTURIES-OLD TRADITION. A Hindu holy man smokes marijuana during Mahashivratri festival cele-
brations in the courtyard of Pashupatinath Temple in Katmandu, Nepal, on February 20, 2012. Hindus across the
world celebrate Mahashivratri, or Shiva’s night festival, which is believed to be the day when Shiva got married.
(AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Thousands light up joints
during Hindu festival in Nepal
By Binaj Gurubacharya
The Associated Press
ATHMANDU, Nepal — Hindu
holy men were joined by devotees
and the public at a revered temple
in Kathmandu where they lit up
marijuana cigarettes during an annual
festival, despite prohibition and warnings
by authorities.
Hundreds of police officers patrolled the
forested area around the Pashupati
temple, which was crowded with cannabis
smokers celebrating the Shivaratri
festival.
A group of ruling party lawmakers has
recently filed a petition to legalize the
farming and use of marijuana.
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“There is a ban on smoking marijuana
but at the same time it is a centuries-old
tradition, which we have to respect,” said
police officer Suman Khadka, adding that
no arrests were made.
During the festival, devotees visit
temples of Hindu god Shiva.
Currently, the use of marijuana is
punishable by prison sentences of up to a
month for users and 10 years for
traffickers.
“There is really no harm in smoking
marijuana, it has been proven to have
medical use too,” said Bimal Giri, a factory
worker who bought joints for 50 rupees (44
U.S. cents) each from a Hindu holy man.
Continued on page 10
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