Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami is a prominent festival among Hindus. It is observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Shravan month. On this day, worship of the Nag Devata is performed, and they are given milk to drink. People also perform puja for Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in their homes, along with the worship of Nag Devata. They visit temples to offer milk to the snakes, following the tradition, and enjoy festive gatherings.

The story of Nag Panchami:

Kadru, the daughter of Daksha, was married to the sage Kashyap. Pleased with her devotion and service, Sage Kashyap offered her a boon. Kadru asked for the boon of having a hundred sons. As a result, she was blessed with a hundred sons.

Once upon a time, during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), a white-colored horse emerged from the churning. Upon seeing this horse, Kadru, the mother of snakes, said to her co-wife Vinata that the horse is beautiful but not completely white, as its mane is black. Vinata disagreed and said that the horse is entirely white, including its mane. A debate arose between them about the color of the horse.

In response, Kadru challenged Vinata that if she couldn't prove that the horse's mane was black, she would become Kadru's servant. But if Vinata could prove that the horse's mane was white, then Kadru would become Vinata's servant. Eventually, Vinata agreed. Kadru, with deceit in her mind, instructed her sons to go and sit on the horse's mane, causing it to appear that the mane was black. However, Vinata's sons realized the deception and refused to obey, as they couldn't go against righteousness.

Enraged by her sons' disobedience, Kadru cursed them that they would perish when King Janamejaya of the Pandava lineage performed a snake sacrifice. Disturbed by the curse, the snakes approached Lord Brahma, who assured them that in the coming ages, a king named Janamejaya would be born in the lineage of Jaratkaru. The snakes were instructed to marry their sister Manasa to Jaratkaru's descendant Aastika. A son named Aastika would be born from this union, and he would stop the snake sacrifice conducted by King Janamejaya.

As time passed, King Janamejaya learned that the cause of his forefathers' deaths was a snake. He resolved to exterminate the snake lineage and initiated a snake sacrifice. However, when Aastika, the son of Janamejaya, learned about this, he rushed to the sacrifice and halted it by throwing raw milk onto the fire on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Shravan month. Through this action, Aastika saved the snakes and their lineage from the perilous sacrifice. Since then, this day came to be celebrated as Nag Panchami, dedicated to the protection of snakes.

On this day, a depiction of the snake deities Sheshnag, Takshak Nag, Padma Nag, Vasuki Nag, Karkotak Nag, Mahapadma Nag, Shankh Nag, and Kulik Nag is created on the wall using turmeric, rice grains, vermilion, and flowers. A puja is performed to honor these serpent deities, and a mixture of ghee and raw milk is offered to them while remembering their significance. The women who perform this ritual with devotion ensure that their lineage remains free from the fear of snakes. In their homes, the blessings of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and the serpent deities are always present. Those homes that receive blessings from these three deities never experience sorrow; they are blessed with happiness and prosperity, and scarcity of wealth never occurs.

In Uttar Pradesh, Nag Panchami is also known as "Gudiya." On this day, girls make a "Gudiya" (doll) out of cloth. Boys playfully hit the Gudiya with sticks. This tradition has been ongoing for a long time. In the evening, kite flying takes place. Special dishes are prepared at home as it falls during the monsoon season. Married women visit their parental homes and celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and festivities.

Related topics

• Nag Pancham
• Ranga Panchami
• Vasant Panchami
• Labh Panchami
• Lakshmi Panchami
• Lalita Panchami
• Rishi Panchami