Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - More and more Hindu gurus have been accused of rape and acts of violence against teenagers and women visiting the Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, site of the upcoming Maha Shivaratri celebrations, this according to Arjun Thapa, who works for the Pashupatinath Development Area (PDA) in charge of cremations.
"In two days, I saved five young women from being raped by gurus from India," said Thapa. Hundreds of these holy men come from Nepal and India for the festival of the god Shiva, he explained. Many use drugs to reach an ecstatic stage to be in contact with the god. Under the influence of drugs, they lose control and harass women and girls who have come to the temple. Some even get into gang rape.
"The authorities have set aside a small temple f the gurus can sleep. The girls I saved were taken there by force to be raped," Thapa explained. However, many young women as well as young men turn to the gurus for hashish and marijuana. If they cannot pay cash, they pay in nature.
Ramesh Kuinkel lives close to the temple, an area that turns into place of drug dealing and sex during Maha Shivaratri, all within sight of the authorities who fear the gurus and ensure only that nothing criminal takes place inside the sacred area of the temple complex.
"Many young women and men are attracted to the gurus by offers of drugs and end up victims of sexual violence," he noted.
Maha Shivaratri is one of the most important Hindu festivals. Each year thousands of Hindus visit the various shrines dedicated to the god Shiva.
Worship entails a day and a night of fasting and vigil in addition to the traditional rituals.
On this occasion, people make offerings of food and incense but they can also use hashish and marijuana to honour the god.