Hundreds of holy men have gathered to celebrate the Hindu festival of Maha Shivaratri.

The men, traditionally called Sadhus, will perform holy rituals at Pashupatinath temple in Nepal today.

Nepal temporarily lifts the ban on marijuana for the holy festival so holy men can smoke it to imitate the Hindu God Shiva.

However, they are not permitted to sell or allow pilgrims to smoke the drug and must only consume it in the temple. They can also press the ash to the heads of pilgrims using their thumbs.

Pilgrims instead are only allowed to pour milk over a stone phallus, offer up fruit and sandalwood paste and burn incense.

One Sadhu called Giri explained the ritual at the temple a few years ago, saying: ‘After I smoke I get a feeling that I have overcome worldly pleasure and dissolved myself in the universe.’

Giri, who had not cut his dreadlocked hair and beard for 17 years, said he became a Sadhu for the protection of Hindusm and the welfare of the world.

Marijuana is carefully prepared before it is put in a pipe

A Nepalese Sadhu prepares marijuana to smoke as he gathers with others ahead of the forthcoming Hindu festival of Maha Shivaratri (Picture: Getty Images)

Body paint and ash are smeared onto their bodies and facial hair

A Hindu holy man, or sadhu, smeared with ashes sits at Pashupatinath Temple (picture: Reuters)

Hundreds of holy men come to the temple to smoke the drug

A Sadhu, holy man, smokes marijuana upon arrival at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu (Picture: EPA)

Pipes are carefully lit as the men clasp their hands at one end

Hindu Sadhus arrive for the celebration of Maha Shivaratri (Picture: Barcroft)

The traditional clay pipe is called a chillum

(Picture: Barcroft)

Chillum can be beautifully intricate

A Nepalese Sadhu smokes a chillum (picture: Getty)

Cannabis is smoked to imitate the Hindu God Shiva

A Nepalese Sadhu (Hindu holy man) smokes a traditional clay pipe chillum as a holy offering to Lord Shiva (picture: Getty Images)

The Holy men spend time resting and contemplating

Sadhu, holy men, rest upon arrival for the upcoming Hindu festival Maha Shivaratri (Picture: EPA)

Ash is often placed on the foreheads of pilgrims too

A Hindu holy man, or sadhu, smeared with ashes (Picture: Reuters)

Fires are also lit as part of the celebrations

Hindu holy men, or sadhus, sit beside a fire at the premises of Pashupatinath Temple, ahead of the Shivaratri festival, in Kathmandu, Nepal (Picture: REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)

Elaborate headresses and costumes are also worn

A Sadhu poses for a photograph on the eve of the Maha Shivaratri festival at Pashupatinath Temple(Picture: Skanda Gautam/ZUMA)