Carrying a pot full of snakes on the head and dancing with that! What? Yes, we might get frightened by this scene, but in certain temples of rural Maharashtra, India, people practice this dangerous culture.
This is the way of worshipping snake goddesses during the auspicious Nag Panchami. People carry snakes on their heads and walk-in procession toward the temple.
Reaching there, amidst loud chants and prayer, the snakes are worshipped and offered different things and then they are released. Some of the most venomous snakes are used in this custom.
India is well known for its unique fair and festivals to include Thaipusam, Holi, Karni, Mata Festival, and worshiping of trees, rivers, and holy animals like cow, elephant, and snake.
Nag Panchami is a festival of Hindus dedicated to the worship of images of serpent deities and live snakes. The festival is celebrated on the fifth day after Amavasya or moonlit-fortnight in the holy month of Shraavana across most parts of India.
Nag or the Indian cobra is not only regarded as sacred in the Hindu religion but also in Jainism and Buddhism. Kerala is one of the places in India where snakes are most sacred and people have a surname as Nair.
The big King Cobra is the main deity of tribes in Kerala, Snake boat race or Vallamkalli is the major festival celebrated during the days in God’s own country. The famous Hindu festival celebrated in the honor of the Serpent God or Naag Devta by married women.
During this important festival, people worship the snake and offer milk to species of Indian cobra snakes. The holy month Shrawan brings many monsoon festivals to celebrate and special blessing of the great god Lord Shiva.
Lord Shiva is the only Indian deity who holds a snake around his neck, so the Indian Cobra is always found around the Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. The Indian Cobra or Naja naja, also locally known as Naga, is a great snake that may take human form and a female is called Nagin.
Naga snake species are one of the most beautiful and highly venomous snakes found in India and responsible for a good number of deaths because of snake bites in a year.
There are a variety of poisonous snakes found in India like the krait snake, King Cobra out of the 6 are considered most venomous and a major public health concern.
For the beautiful skin of snake thousands of Indian cobras, Big rat snakes, Indian pythons, rock pythons, and Russell’s Vipers were killed in India, and skins were exported to other countries for huge profits.
Though Indian worship snakes during the traditional Nag Panchami festival because of public prejudice such as hate, fear, and wrong assumptions so they involve in the killing of snakes. Snake charmers are used to displaying them as a street show of animals for a living.
