Naga Panchami
naga panchami sanskrit नागपञ्चमी iast nāgapañcamī day traditional worship naga naja nag snake associated mythical nāga being observed hindu jains buddhist throughout india nepal country hindu jain buddhist adherent live worship offered fifth day bright half lunar month shravana julyaugust according hindu calendar indian state karnataka rajasthan bihar gujarat celebrate naga panchami dark half krishna paksha month part festivity naga serpent deity made silver stone wood painting given reverential bath milk blessing sought welfare family live snake especially cobra also worshipped day especially offering milk generally assistance snake charmer mahabharata epic sage astika stop king janamejaya sacrificing eventually decimating serpent race sarpa satra sacrifice performed janamejaya avenge death father parikshita killed takshaka king snake day sacrifice stopped shukla paksha panchami day month shravana sacrifice mahabharata whole first narrated sage vaisampayana day since observed naga panchami panchami fifth day among fifteen day moon waxing andor waning special day serpent worship always fall fifth day moon waning lunar hindu month shravana julyaugust hence called naga panchami naga cobra simply serpent many legend hinduism folklore narrated importance worship snake according hindu purana mahabharata kashyapa grandson universal creator lord brahma married two daughter prajapati daksha kadru vinata kadru gave birth race naga vinata gave birth aruna became charioteer sun god surya also gave birth great eagle garuda became carrier vishnu naga panchami also day akhara traditional indian wrestling gym hold special celebration honor mystical symbolism snake symbol virility kundalini energy indian scripture agni purana skanda purana narada purana mahabharata give detail history snake extolling worship snake mahabharata epic janamejaya son king parikshita kuru dynasty performing snake sacrifice known sarpa satra avenge death father snake bite snake king called takshakaa sacrificial fireplace specially erected fire sacrifice kill snake world started galaxy learned brahmin sage sacrifice performed presence janamejaya powerful causing snake fall yagna kunda sacrificial fire pit priest found takshaka bitten killed parisksihita escaped nether world indra seeking protection sage increased tempo reciting mantra spell drag takshaka also indra sacrificial fire takshaka coiled around indra cot force sacrificial yagna powerful even indra along takshaka dragged towards fire scared god appealed manasadevi intervene resolve crisis requested son astika go site yagna appeal janamejaya stop sarpa satra yagna astika impressed janamejaya knowledge sastras scripture granted seek boon astika requested janamejeya stop sarpa satra since king never known refuse boon given brahmin relented spite protects rishis performing yagna yagna stopped thus life indra takshaka serpent race spared day according hindu calendar happened nadivardhini panchami fifth day bright fortnight lunar month shravana monsoon season since day festival day naga life spared day indra also went manasadevi worshipped according garuda purana offering prayer snake day auspicious usher good tidings one life followed feeding brahmin day naga panchami naga cobra snake worshipped milk sweet flower lamp even sacrifice naga serpent deity made silver stone wood painting wall first bathed water milk worshipped reciting following mantra fasting observed day brahmin fed piety observed day considered sure protection fear snake bite many place real snake worshipped fair held day digging earth taboo could kill harm snake reside earth region country milk offered along crystallized sugar rice pudding special feature offering lotus flower placed silver bowl front bowl rangoli coloured design pattern snake created floor brush made wood clay silver gold sandalwood turmeric paste paint design pattern resemble five hooded snake devotee offer worship image floor village anthill snake thought reside searched incense offered anthill prayer along milk myth folk lore feed milk snake ensnare snake come anthill milk poured hole anthill libation snake god occasion doorway wall outside house painted picture snake auspicious mantra spell also written believed depiction ward poisonous snake naga panchami also occasion observed bhratru panchami woman brother worship snake hole offer prayer propitiate naga brother protected suffer die due snake bite naga panchami also celebrated vishari puja bishari puja part country bisha visha mean poison apart scriptural mention snake festival also many folktale one tale farmer living village two son one killed three snake ploughing operation mother snake took revenge night biting farmer wife two child died following day farmer surviving daughter distraught grieved death parent brother pleaded mother snake offering bowl milk requested forgiveness restore life parent brother pleased offering snake pardoned restored farmer family life folklore snake also refer rainy season varsha ritu sanskrit also depicted deity pond river said embodiment water spring hole like spring water believed snake power human account association shiva devi vishnu subramanya degree fear instilled resulting deification cobra worship throughout country hindu snake connotation moon’s node known hindu astrology head snake represented rahu dragon head tail ketu dragon tail zodiacal chart individual seven major planet hemmed rahu ketu reverse order anticlockwise said denote kalasarpa dosha defect due black snake forebodes ill luck hardship individual life therefore appeased offering worship snake naga panchami day central india nagapur maharashtra state snake special identity name city derived word naga mean snake place infested snake nagapur homeland naga people embraced buddhism supported great effort early period propagated throughout india nagaoba temple mahal worship offered naga panchami day temple found neem tree known “nagaoba ka vota platform another important event held occasion arduous trekking pilgrimage known nagadwar yatra pachmarhi occasion food prepared offering snake god cooked kadai naga chandreshwar ujjain sub temple located third floor mahakaleshwar jyotirlinga temple ujjain speciality shrine open one day year naga panchami day remains shut rest year murthy nagachandreshwar unique shiva parvati seated ten hooded snake surrounded nandhi ganesha murthies believed great snake taksha life praying naga panchami rids devotee various afflications doshas naga dosha sarpa dosha form doshas naga panchami celebrated north india kashmir historical time snake worshipped hindu place worship reported north western india city benares time akharas venue wrestling practice competition part naga panchami celebration bedecked occasion ahkaras cleaned thoroughly wall painted image snake priest preside guru honoured along sponsor significance wrestler stand virility naga symbolizes “scheme virility” akharas decorated snake image showing snake drinking milk narasinghgarh akhara varanasi special shrine dedicated naga raja king snake bowl suspended image snake milk poured trickle snake god form offering day snake charmer everywhere town village displaying snake basket type snake python rat snake cobra mingled together snake charmer hang limp snake around neck crowd gather witness scene snake basket also worshipped occasion however punjab festival celebrated different month different format month bhadra september–october called guga nauvami ninth day lunar month bright half moon occasion image snake made dough kept “winnowing basket” taken round village villager offer flour butter oblation image end parade snake formally buried woman worship snake nine day give offering curd rest country naga panchmi celebrated western india known ketarpal kshetrapal meaning protector domain part country snake named bhujang also sanskrit name snake kutch region name attributed city bhuj located hill named bhujiya bhujang abode snake top hill fort known bhujia fort temple built snake god second temple foot hill known nani devi bhujia fort scene major battle deshalji ruler kutch sher buland khan mughal viceroy gujarat invaded kutch early period deshaljis reign army kutch state losing battle group naga bawas opened gate bhujia fort clever ploy visiting naga temple worship joined fray sher buland khan army eventually deshalji battle since day naga bawa leader pride place procession held naga panchami day within fort one corner small square tower dedicated bhujang naga snake god folklore said brother sheshnaga said bhujang naga came kathiawar freed kutch oppression demon known daityas rakshasas snake temple also built time fortification hill deshalji reign provided chhatri every year naga panchami day fair held temple premise sindhi community naga panchami celebrated honour gogro eastern north eastern state india west bengaljharkhand orissa assam goddess worshipped manasa according hindu mythology manasa snake goddess also called jaratkaru wife brahmin sage also named jaratkaru occasion sh twig manasa sale plant euphorbia lingularum symbolizing goddess manasa fixed ground worshipped month shravan rest country also month bhadra masa festival held within precinct house south india snake identified subramanya commander celestial army also shiva vishnu karnataka preparation festival start new moon day bhimana amavasya five day prior festival day panchami girl offer prayer image made white clay painted white dot take vow tying thread dipped turmeric paste right wrist offer prayer image snake drawn floor front house milk offered oblation night previous festival keep complete fast take salt free diet pooja food feast held south india sculpted live snake worshipped every village serpent deity worshipped single snake nine snake called nava naga popular form two snake form “aesculapian rod” every worshipper south india worship anthill snake reported reside woman decorate anthill turmeric paste vermillion sugar mixed wheat flour bedeck flower help thread tied wooden frame maharashtra go round anthill worship mode five time singing song praise snake god another form worship practiced woman child various reason install stone statue snake peepal tree offer worship seeking blessing snake god bestowing child done believed snake represent virility gift inducing fecundity curing barrenness coorg karnataka ancestral platform called noka installed rough stone believed ancestral incarnation form snake necessarily worshipped naga panchami day kerala ezhavas nairs serpentworshipers shrine normally established snake god southwest corner ancestral house along temple paradevata naga panchami day woman fast previous day naga panchami day take bath dawn pray tharavad sarpa kavu take thirtham milk home chembarathi hibiscus flower dipped milk sprinkled brother back arthi thread dipped turmeric tied right wrist brother feast served ritual widely observed nepal particularly fight garuda great serpent changu narayan temple kathmandu statue garuda said established garuda naga panchami day image said sweat reminiscing great fight giant snake people collect sweat use curing leprosy nepali diaspora community also taken ritual outside nepal different country settlement sindhi ethnic group found predominantly pakistan celebrate naga panchami honouring gogro mythical character protects snake bite snake worship nagaradhane snake handling jogi caste jangam bibliography alter joseph wrestler body identity ideology north india university california press isbn balfour edward cyclopædia india eastern southern asia commercial industrial scientific product mineral vegetable animal kingdom useful art manufacture bernard quaritch p brockman norbert september encyclopedia sacred place abcclio isbn claus peter j diamond sarah mill margaret ann south asian folklore encyclopedia afghanistan bangladesh india nepal pakistan sri lanka routledge isbn dallapiccola l november hindu myth university texas press isbn dilipsinh k january kutch festival custom haranand publication isbn garg gaṅgā rām encyclopaedia hindu world concept publishing company isbn retrieved august jagannathan maithily january south indian hindu festival tradition abhinav publication isbn sharma usha january festival indian society vols set mittal publication isbn verma manish fast festival india diamond pocket book p ltd isbn dictionary hindu lore legend isbn anna dhallapiccola naga panchmi nag panchami festival nepal