Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje / Spoorthi Ullal 
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (RJP)

Mangaluru, Jul 27: Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of bright half of lunar month of Shravan as per Hindu calendar. The festival falls on Thursday, July 27 this year. Nag Panchami finds mention in many of ancient Hindu scriptures too.

Celebration of Nag Panchami or Nagara Panchami, the annual festival aimed at appeasing the serpent god, is prevalent all over India and Nepal, although this practice is more in vogue in south India.

Serpent god is believed to influence progeny, and it is necessary to conduct rituals aimed at atonement for any aberrations or offences that were committed knowingly or inadvertently that would have earned the ire of the serpent god as otherwise progress of one's lineage gets adversely affected.
At Kudupu temple

People of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Kasargod districts believe that Lord Parashurama had cleared this land for human occupation by forcing the sea to retreat. They feel that having occupied the territory that was natural habitat for serpents, it is their duty to remain grateful to serpent god.

In coastal Karnataka, people visit 'Nagabanas' or groves of trees set aside as abodes for serpents, clean the entire area and decorate the stone forms of the serpent god with turmeric paste, flowers etc. They also bath the stone forms with milk, honey, curd, sugar, tender coconut, and ghee (clarified butter), and pray for blessings and forgiveness. The mixture of these items dripping from the stone images are collected and consumed as Prasadam. Coconuts, bananas, rice popcorn (Aralu) etc are also offered to the serpent gods. Inflorescence of areca nut tree is believed to be the favourite flower offering of the serpent god.

People also visit temples dedicated to the serpent god like Lord Subrahmanyeshwara temple at Subrahmanya, Kudupu temple, Kalavara temple near Kundapur and Manjeshwar Lord Ananthehwara temple or other temples where stone images of serpent gods are sheltered and worshipped separately.

People of Dakshina Kannada district generally believe that deep fried eatables should not be prepared on Nag Panchami day as they feel it adversely affects the serpents. Preparations not involving deep frying or tempering with oil. Sweet Idlis, Patholi, Humman etc are generally prepared on this day.

In some parts of north India this occasion is celebrated to commemorate victory of Lord Krishna over Kalia, when the Lord was an infant. In some parts of the country like Maharashtra, milk is offered to live serpents on this day.