Nag Panchami 2022: Why people worship snakes during this festival?

Nag Panchami is the festival in which snakes are worshipped across temples in India. This festival takes place on the fifth day of the lunar fortnight of the month of Sravana, usually in July or August.

During the Nag Panchami festival, many people visit Shiva temples and pray for the safety of their family from snakebite. It is customary to bring offerings of rice, fried paddy, and a particular grass tip known as durva (the tip of a snake’s tail) in front of the statues of the Nag. Women also visit temples with a separate section for the snake god and pour milk into the mounds where they believe snakes reside. While others worship live cobras feeding it milk and other delicacies.

As another Hindu god, Shiva, is said to adore and favour snakes, many worshippers offer snake worship in an effort to appease him.

Also read: Holy month of Shravan begins on July 14; why is it auspicious

Nag Panchami festival: The story and significance 

The story of Nag Panchami goes that when Lord Krishna was a child, he was playing by the Yamuna River. He was playing with a ball, which got trapped in a tree branch on the banks of a river. Krishna, then, slipped into the river to recover his ball and was attacked by the snake Kaliya. But, as the young strapping boy fought back, Kaliya soon realised Krishna was no ordinary child. The snake and his wives begged Krishna to spare his life and after a promise that he will no longer harass the residents of Gokul, Krishna let go off the snake.

Nag Panchami is observed as a celebration of Krishna’s victory over Kaliya, the snake.

Another story says that King Janamejaya performed an important yagna before he set out to destroy all the snakes and serpents, i.e., the entire Naga clan. Agitated by this news, the Nagas approached Lord Brahma who assured them that in their next birth they would be worshipped as Gods. This will happen because of a great soul called Asthika. Therefore, in the month of Shravan on Shukla Paksha Panchami, Nag Panchami is celebrated as a day of snake worship.

According to the Hindu scriptures, Nagas rule and live in Patal loka. There are a total of twelve famous Nagas with goddess Mansa, who happens to be the sister of Vasuki, as the mother of all Nagas.

Also read: Non-Hindus cannot be stopped from entering temples, rules Madras HC

Nag Panchami 2022: How it will be celebrated around India

Hindus and Jains who observe this Nag Panchami festival will fast today. If they fast they will be assured of protection against the fear of snake bite. On this day, it is forbidden to dig soil because this can kill or harm snakes which reside in the earth. Snakes can remember faces and come back to avenge its death.

In Maharashtra, the Nag Panchami festival is celebrated by taking a dormant cobra in a plate and going from door to door asking for alms and clothing. In Kerala, the devotees visit snake temples and worship a stone or metal icon of snake, praying that they and their families are saved from any snakebite throughout the year.

Devotees also make snake idols of mud and sand and worship them by offering cow’s milk, fried paddy, rice’s breed and durva (tip of a special grass).

On this Nag Panchami day, young girls also pray and offer milk to cobras and pray to get married to a good person, while married women pray to save their families from any harm caused by snakes.