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Fairs & Festivals :: Hindu Festival

Nagpanchami

Nag Panchami is marked as worship of snakes. In Hindu mythology, the cobra has a special significance and the earth, it is believed, rests on the head of 'Shesha' - the thousand-hooded cobra. It is a festival in the honour of the Snake God, Shesha Nag.

On this day Goans worship the snake by offering milk and doing Puja.

According to the Hindu calendar, Nag Panchami is celebrated in the month of Shravan (July-August). During the monsoon when the snakes come out of the pit they are worshipped as they protect crops from getting damaged by rats and other rodents.

The victory of Krishna over the Kaliya snake is commemorated on this day. For this reason Krishna is known as "Kaliya Mardan". The legend is as follows:

Young Krishna was playing with the other cowherds, when suddenly the ball got entangled in the high branch of a tree. Krishna volunteered to climb the tree and fetch the ball. But below the tree there was a deep part of the river Yamuna, in which the terrible snake Kaliya was living.

Everybody was afraid of that part of the river. Suddenly Krishna fell from the tree into the water. Then the terrible snake Laiya came up. But Krishna was ready and jumping on the snake's head he caught it by the neck. Kaliya understood that Krishna was not an ordinary boy, and that it would not be easy to overcome him.

So Kaliya pleaded with Krishna: "Please, do not kill me." Krishna full of compassion asked the snake to promise that henceforth he would not harass anybody. Then he let the snake go free into the river again.

The festival falls during the rainy months and people visit temples specially dedicated to snakes and worship them. Shiva temples are also favoured places for veneration, as snakes are considered dear to him.

People offer sweets and milk to the snake deity and the day is celebrated with folk dances and songs, especially in the countryside. On this day devotees pour milk into all the holes in the ground around the house or near the temple so that the snakes may drink it.

Sometimes, a small pot of milk with some flowers is placed near the holes and if a snake actually drinks the milk, it is considered to be extremely lucky for the devotee. The festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm by all, especially women.

Snake charmers carry cobras in baskets and collect offerings from the public in the streets. Usually, wandering snake charmers visit homes with their pet cobras. Each household offers milk to the reptile.

In the rural areas, the day generally begins with the puja of a mud replica of a snake. Then there could be singing of "artis" by the menfolk, while the women dance the exuberant "fugddi". The traditional Goan sweet called "patolleo" is made on this day.

It is a nature-friendly Hindu festival. On this day, the people abstain from ploughing or digging in the field or anywhere else, in a symbolic gesture of protecting the snakes, meaning wildlife.