Nepal - February 17th

As Nepal gears up to celebrate the Shivaratri festival this week, 3,400 personnel will be sent to escort devotees making their way to the temple for prayer. With the escort force comprising of nearly 579 police, 300 scouts, and 2,500 armed personnel, the 1 million devotees arriving from India and Nepal will be closely watched. The Shivaratri festival, considered to be a national holiday, is held yearly in Nepal at the Pashupathi temple and includes ritual offerings, bonfires, and fasting.