Do you want to perform Nag Pooja on the auspicious occasion of Nag Panchami? Read on to learn more.Nag Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrated in order to worship snakes or serpents. It is an auspicious and ancient Indian festival in honour of the Snake God. It falls in the holy month of Shravan which is significant for Hindus. The following traditional rituals are practised in order to perform the Nag
Pooja on the day of Nag Panchami.
Fasting on Nag Panchami
Many people observe a fast on the day of
Nag Panchami in order to please the snake God. Young married women pay a visit to their premarital homes while unmarried girls fast in order to find a good and pleasing husband. The fast begins at sunrise and continues till sunset. After that ‘kheer’ is offered to the snake God and the fast is broken. Fried and salty foods are not consumed on this day. Some people start fasting from the previous day itself.
Rituals on Nag Panchami
People take bath and wear traditional clothes. In Maharashtra, women wear the ‘Nauvaari’ (nine yard) saree. Coconut sweets and black sesame ladoos are prepared and offered to the snake God. People consume stale food which has been prepared the previous day. People avoid ploughing and digging the field on this day so that snakes are not harmed. People do not do any cutting in the fields as there are chances of harming snakes.
Nag Panchami Pooja
Snake idols made of clay are prepared and worshipped at home with milk, turmeric, grass, kumkum and flowers. Flowers and milk are kept near the burrows and holes where snakes live. People also keep a sculpture made of red soil or cow dung of the snake God near the main entrance of the house. Kheer, rice and sewaiya is prepared for offering as worship. Certain Nag Mantras are chanted to please the snake God and sandalwood is used during the worship.
Nag Panchami Traditions
The sweets which are prepared are offered to the snake God and then distributed as Prasad. Red hibiscus flowers are generally used for worship of snake God. They are placed at the foot of the idol and the puja is followed by an ‘
aarti.’ Milk is used to bathe the idol. The fragrance of sandalwood is said to be very pleasing to the snake God hence its use is very essential. Goddess Manasa Devi is worshipped in many parts of northern India.
Offering Milk to the Snake God
As per tradition, milk is offered to the snake. If the snake drinks the milk, you are considered very lucky. Accompanied by the sound of flute, women offer milk to the real snake. However, according to modern thinkers, drinking milk can kill the snake hence the snake should not be given milk. It is important to follow festivals with a faithful attitude however one must also be careful while making the offerings.
Nag Panchami Festival Significance
In the olden times, people often celebrated this festival in villages in order to avoid being bitten by snakes and serpents. They wanted to please the snake God and protect their family. It is a significant and important festival especially in various parts of Maharashtra. It is also celebrated in other parts of the country and Nepal. Nag Panchami celebrations are different in South India.
People celebrate this festival with fervour, faith and devotion. It is good to seek blessings of the snake
God in life. By worshipping snakes you are paying attention to nature and animals as well.
What is the significance of Nag Panchami? How to do Nag Pooja on the day of Nag Panchami? What are the benefits of doing Nag Panchami Pooja? Discuss here.
