Nag Panchami Date in the current year: August 9, 2024

Snakes or serpents play a very important role in the Indian mythology. According to Hindu puranic literature, Kashyapa, the son of Lord Brahma, and his third wife gave birth to Nagas, the deities taking form of a very big snake.

Hindu consider snakes to be more powerful than people, that's why they annually make sacrifice to serpents and worship them. Hindu believe, that this protect them from the poisonous bites of snakes.

Snakes are worshiped on Nag Panchami with special teats, like sweets, milk, flowers and lamps. Images of Nag deities are made of stone, silver, wood or simple paintings on the walls are bathed with water and milk and then are worshiped. The fasting is required on this day.

Special fairs are held in many cities across India and real snakes are worshiped. In some regions people offer snakes and Nag deities milk with sugar or rice pudding. Then this sacrifice is poured into the anthill (the snakes are believed to come out of the anthills) as a libation to Nagas.

People often paint pictures of snakes on the walls and doors of their houses and read or write special mantras on them. It's believed, that this will ward off poisonous snakes from the house.