Shivaratri

Today is a Nepali festival day, Shivaratri or Shiva's Birthday. We were warned about this festival, because it is similiar to Halloween or Guy Fox day.  What happens is that during the day, groups of children take rope or string and hold them across the road to stop cars, bikes, and pedestresians and demand money from them to pass.  As I was approaching one group of kids, they let five Nepalis pass free of charge, but when I got close they moved in front of me, to force me to pay. So I started to cross the road to go around and  they also moved to put the rope in front of me, and one kid said, "Give me money."  I grabbed the rope and ducked under it, and just kept going.  
At the next stop, I continued to walk forward and the kid pulled it tight, causing the rope which was tied to a pole on the other side to break and I was able to walk over it.  At the two other stops I encountered,  a car had pulled up and was haggling with the kids, so I just scooted by quickly. 
I was ready, if I was stopped to say, " I am a Christian, and do not worship Shiva, so  I have no money for you," in Nepali, but I did not have to use it. 

But the verse " Train up a child..." seemed to apply today, because putting a barricade across the road and extorting money is a very common and frequent practice throughout the whole country.

Tonight is the big birthday party at Shiva's main temple. The government legalizes marijuana for the day, as it is one of the main enjoyments of Shiva, and all the sadhus, holy men, gather at Pashupatinath  for ritual bathing, hash smoking, and celebrating, all at the government's expense.

The waste of it all.