Sadhus at Nepal’s fifth- century Pashupatinath temple are integrating technology into their teachings by connecting with the Internet and mobile phones. This change is especially evident ahead of the upcoming Maha Shivaratri celebrations when devotees wear yellow and black robes covered in ash and are now often seen holding smartphones.
Swami Trilochandra Ji Maharaj Ram Kathabachak, a priest from Sitamarhi in Bihar, uses his mobile phone to preach and communicate with his church to communicate with his followers. In an interview, he revealed that he was gifted the phone by a disciple. “I got this as a gift from my disciple, as I am a ‘KathaVachak’. A woman became a grandmother and she had “Pota” (grandson) and on that occasion, she gifted me a mobile,” said the priest.
Another sadhu revealed, “We stay outside (the society). So when we come to places like this (Pashupatinath Temple), we take photos that work as mementoes for us. We are able to stay in touch with family members and show the photos to our friends back there (in India) briefing them about the places recently been to.”
These technological tools have become indispensable for sadhus, providing them with a way to stay in touch, share experiences and obtain information. While some appreciate these advances, others see them as a potential impediment to the spirituality associated with festivals such as Shivaratri.
Maha Shivaratri is one of the major festivals of Nepal, symbolizing the union of “Shiva” and “Shakti” and commemorating the night of Cosmic dance (“Tandav”) of Lord Shiva. Pashupati District Development Trust expects more than a million devotees to visit the temple during the festival this year.
