Naaga Panchami celebrated at different Naagasthanas

Eugene Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 04 August 2011:  Naaga Panchami or festival of snakes is a unique festival dedicated to honour the Serpent God or Naaga  Devta. Falling on the fifth day of Shravan in July/August, reverence for the cobra (snakes) is paid.  This year the festival of Naag Panchami is celebrated on August 4.

 

Worship of snakes had been fairly widespread before the Aryan invasion. The Aryans later incorporated the snake worship into Hinduism Hindu  mythological books are  filled with stories, fables and pictures of snakes. Lord Vishnu’s couch is the green, thousand-headed snake (Ananta or Sesha) who could hold up the earth. Lord Shiva wears a snake for ornamental purpose. Even Lord Krishna is called "Kaliya Mardan" to commemorate his victory over the giant snake, Kaliya. 

 

According to a legend while a farmer  was tilling his land incidentally killed some young serpents. The serpent took revenge by biting all members of the farmer’s family except his daughter, who worshipped snakes. This devotional act of the girl resulted in revival of her family. So on the day of Naaga Panchami, tilling of land is forbidden. Snake worship is however believed to have originated due to man’s natural fear of reptiles. 

 

There is yet another legend related to the festival. It goes that young Lord Krishna was playing with the other cowboys near river Yamuna, when the ball got entangled in the high branch of a tree. Krishna volunteered to climb the tree and fetch the ball. Below the tree, a terrible snake Kaliya used to live in the river. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. The terrible snake came up with anger, but Krishna started jumping on its head. Finally, Kaliya said sorry to Lord Krishna and He forgave the snake and let it go free. Since then, on Naaga  Panchami day, the victory of Krishna over the Kaliya snake is commemorated. 

Naaga Panchami is one of the oldest and auspicious festivals, women fast on this day. Also, women draw pictures and images of snakes on walls of their houses with a mixture of cow dung, milk and black powder. Offerings of milk, ghee, sweets, water and rice are also made at the sites of snake holes. Devotees consider themselves lucky if snakes drink offered milks. Naaga panchami is observed and celebrated in different ways in various parts of India.

 

Naaga Panchami is celebrated in coastal Karnataka with great  fervor and  devotion. There are many Naagabanas or Naagasthanas where the stone-slabs with the carvings of snakes are being kept and especially  worshiped  on Naaga Panchami day. At all these places devotees arrive right from early morning bringing their offerings such as rice, milk, coconuts, tender coconuts, bananas, turmeric powder (haldi), flowers, etc. The priests at every place were found arranging the offerings, cutting the tender coconuts and keeping in front of each slab with carved image of the snake and pouring coconut water and milk on these images. Part of the offerings was returned to the devotees as ‘prasad’.

 

The Kombadi Shri Naga Brahmadi Panchadaivika Moolasthana, Nellikatte in Moodubelle is considered to be one of the largest and oldest of the Naga Moolashtanas. The panchadaivas at this place include Naga, Brahma, Nandikona, Rakteshwari and Kshetrapala. This place had been the centre of Naga worship for the Salian and Palan clans since around 600 years. Devotees, tracing their origin come to this place in large numbers from different villages and even from Mumbai to offer their respect to the guardian deity of their ‘moolasthana’.