Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami is a unique and ancient festival dedicated to the worship of serpents, or 'Nagas', celebrated on the fifth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Shravana (July/August). This festival holds deep cultural, religious, and ecological significance in Hindu tradition. Serpents, far from being just feared creatures, are revered as sacred beings associated with some of the most powerful deities. Lord Shiva, the destroyer and transformer, wears the serpent Vasuki around his neck as an ornament. Lord Vishnu, the preserver, rests on the cosmic coils of the great serpent Shesha. In this light, Nagas are seen as symbols of power, rebirth, cosmic energy, and protectors of hidden treasures.

The festival's origins are woven into several powerful legends. The most famous story from the Mahabharata tells of the serpent king, Takshaka, who was cursed to die in a great fire sacrifice (sarpa yagna) initiated by King Janamejaya as revenge for his father's death. The wise sage Astika, whose mother was a Naga, intervened and, impressing the king with his wisdom, saved Takshaka and the entire serpent race from annihilation. Nag Panchami is celebrated to honor this event and to seek protection from snake bites, which become a more common danger in rural India as snakes are flooded out of their burrows during the monsoon season. It is a day to acknowledge the important ecological role of serpents and to foster a sense of harmony and respect for all living creatures.