Nag Panchami is a famous Hindu festival of India which is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Shravan or July-August. It is a festival of snakes that are believed as Nag Devta in Hindu Mythology. The snakes are worshipped on this auspicious day and are fed with milk and food by the devotees. Thinking of this festival gives me goose bumps.
Nag Panchami is celebrated during the rainy season when a number of snakes come out of their holes to seek shelter and to protect themselves from the rain water. Snakes hold a significant place in Hindu mythology. As per sacred texts snake-worship was done even in Vedic times. A lot of ancient legends and myths are associated with Nag Panchami. One is that, on this day, a farmer killed some baby snakes by mistake while tilling his land. The mother snake got furious and killed the farmer and his family. Only one of his daughters was not killed as she worshipped the Nagas. Her devotion to Nag Devta made her family to come back to life. Since then, the day is celebrated as nag Panchami in India.
Another legend is associated with Lord Krishna. When Krishna was a young boy, he was playing near River Yamuna with his friends. Suddenly, his ball fell into the river and Krishna was asked to get the ball. A terrible snake Kaliya used to live in Yamuna and as Krishna entered the river, it came up to kill him. But Lord Krishna vanquished Kaliya serpent and saved the people from its poisonous effect. Thus, Nag Panchami is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Krishna over the serpent.
The snakes are also believed to be loved by Lord Shiva and that’s why he puts them around his neck as ornamentations. The thousand- headed
Sheshnag is the couch of Lord Vishnu and is the symbol of Eternity. Hindu Mythology believes in immortality of the snake as it loses it old skin and gains new.
Although, Nag Panchami is celebrated all over India but in North and South India, it is celebrated with great verve and enthusiasm. In South India, the images of snakes are carved with Cow dung by the people and were kept at the entrance to welcome God snake. Some people also make a five hooded snake with a combination of gandh, haldi, chandan and kesar and put it on a metal plate for worshipping. After that, they are offered milk and rice as ‘naivedya’. In some parts of Bengal and Orissa, queen of serpents, Mansa is worshipped and is offered various religious adorations by the people in order to gain protection from the ill-influences of the serpents. In Punjab, it is called as Giga Navami. On this day, a snake is made out of dough and butter and is put in a winnowing basket. A procession is carried out through the village and finally it is ceremoniously buried.
Apart from these, the most interesting celebrations of the festival are seen in Baltis Shirale. It is a small village in Maharashtra which is at a distance of about 70 km from Sangli and 400 km from Mumbai. The people dig out live snakes and put them safely in earthern pots. They are fed with rats and milk. On the festival day, they take these pots on their head and carry out a huge procession to the temple of Goddess Amba where the snakes are worshipped and then set free at the temple. They are also offered honey and milk.
It was delightful experience to watch the snake-worship.
Happy
Nag panchami