Nag Panchami celebrated all over India

Nag Panchami celebrated all over India

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 23, 2012 : The Hindu community all over India is celebrating Nag Panchami, one of the most significant days in the Hindu calendar, today. The day is usually celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit fortnight of the month of Shravan, which coincides with July or August.

 

 

Since serpents emerge from their holes during this season, devotees worship them with tender coconut, milk, honey, flowers, and turmeric. They visit temples devoted to serpent gods and offer worship before the stone images of the Nag Devtha. These images are bathed with honey, sugar, milk, ghee, and tender coconut water, after which part of the offerings are consumed as prasada.

The puranas mention a number of Nagas such as Vasuki, Anantha, Padma, Shesh, Kanwal, Karkotak, Kalia, Takshak, Aswatar, Pingala, and others. Some historians feel that these are not really serpents, but powerful Naga kings.

Serpent devotees believe that the Nag Devtha must be worshipped at the traditional place of worship, where their ancestors used to worship them. Nag Panchami, therefore, gives an opportunity for people of the same family to meet, offer worship, and keep in touch.

Some of the famous Nag temples are Kudupu in Mangalore, Subramanya in Sullia, Manjeshwar in Kasargod, and Kalavar in Kundapur.