World News for Students of English

18-02-2026 07:00

Nepal celebrated Shivaratri in Kathmandu as large crowds gathered at Pashupatinath Temple to honor the god Shiva.

Tens of thousands of people waited in long lines to pray, sing, and dance. The festival brought together local people and visitors from India who came to take part in the religious rituals.

During most of the year, marijuana is illegal in Nepal. However, police show rare tolerance during this festival because of Shiva’s traditional link to cannabis. Across the Bagmati River, holy men covered in ash and many young devotees smoked openly on nearby hills.

Nepal banned marijuana in 1976 after many years of legal sales. Some groups have tried to change the law, but these efforts haven’t moved forward. For this one day, tradition becomes more important than strict control, and the country allows limited cannabis use as part of the religious celebration.

Difficult words: ritual (actions done in a special way for a ceremony or tradition), marijuana (a plant people sometimes smoke for its mind-changing effects), devotee (a person who strongly supports or takes part in a religion or activity).

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