Naga Panchami (Naga Chauthi)-the festival of snakes is one of the important festivals of Hindus and celebrated all over India to pay respect to snakes. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit fortnight in the month of Shravana. For 2008, it falls on 6th August, Wednesday.

The Myth behind Naga Panchami
The celebrations of this festival is associated a number of myths that are mostly related to Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva and Lord Subramanyam.

The most popular myth associated with naga panchami is about Lord Krishna and Kalia- the serpant. The day is celebrated to commemorate Lord Krishna’s victory over Kaliya. The story tells that once a ball fell into the Yamuna River when Lord Krishna and his friend’s cowherd boys were playing a game of throwing ball. After this Lord Krishna jumped into the river and vanquished the serpent- Kalia and saved people from drinking the poisonous water.

Naga Panchami Celebrations

On this day Naga Devata (Cobra) is worshipped. People fast on this day and go to snake pits, Snake temples and Lord Shiva’s temples and worship the snakes. They offer milk, ladoos made with sesame seeds and silver jewelry to the snakes. In houses, women draw pictures of snakes on the walls of their houses using milk, cow dung and black powder. On this day snake charmers go from house to house carrying live cobras in baskets asking alms. Even in many places like Baltis Shirale, a village located about 400 Kilometres from Mumbai, live cobras and snakes are worshipped on Nag-Panchami day.

In Orissa, West Bengal and Assam, people worship the queen of serpents-the snake deity- ‘Manasa’ on this day with all religious adorations. They seek her blessings for the welfare of their families and children.

In Punjab, the festival is celebrated in the month of September-October and is called AS ‘Guga Naumi.’ A snake made of dough is taken in grand processions around the village in a basket. An offering of butter and flour is made from each house as the procession the goes around from house to house.

In Maharashtra, women on this day wear their ‘nav-vari’-nine yards saree, wear old ornaments and get ready for the worship. They sprinkle turmeric powder, vermillion powder and flowers on the live snakes, offer sweetened milk to the snakes as the snake charmers come to their doors.

In Kerala, people worship metal and stone icons Ananta or Sesha-the Cosmic Serpent in snake temples. Here people keep a cobra made of copper or silver in their worship rooms and offer milk and sweets on the altars of cobra on this day.