MAHA SHIVRATRI AT VARANASI, INDIA

Varanasi is considered a sacred city, the city of Lord Shiva. The Mahashivratri festival holds immense importance here. Mahashivratri (the great night of Shiva) falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna (February/March) and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva, it is purely religious in nature and observed by all Hindus.

Life goes along on the sacred Ganges. Always calm moments where nothing but time seems to happen, the quiet prayers in the morning, the offerings of food and hair to prove their faith, there is always a moment to witness at this busy river that draws more than 3 million visitors per year.

People pray early morning, they wait sometimes for several hours to enter the temple. But at dawn, after the sunset puya starts, and people get wild. On the streets, a parade of dressed carts with Hindu mythology, elephants, buffalos and crowds. The night starts with people drinking "bhang lassi" (a yogurth based drink with cannabis) and things can get wild soon.