Nagara Panchami Legend

Nagara Panchami festival observed in India during the Shravan month is a classic example of Hinduism’s deep rooted connections with Nature. Local folklore in India is full of stories associated with Nagas or Snakes. 

THE BOND BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS 

In South, the Nag Panchami festival legends revolve around the brother sister relationship. An important ritual in South Indian on the day include rubbing of milk or ghee on the back, spine and navel of brothers by sisters.

An important story or Nag Panchami Katha goes like this. Once a young girl asks her brother to get some Ketaki flower for Naga Puja. Screwpine or Ketaki is used to worship Nagaraja (Snake God). But unfortunately the brother who went in search of Ketaki is bitten by a snake and is killed. The sister then prays and performs Vrata and propitiates Nagaraja and the brother is brought back to life.

There are numerous such stories in local folklore and in most stories the sister resurrects the dead brother. Thus on the Nag Panchami day in some regions the brother visits his married sister and she applies milk or ghee on the back, spine and navel of the brother and she prays for his long life. The rubbing of milk symbolically reminds the umbilical connection.

SAMUDRA MANTHANA

The popular legend associated with the festival is that Shiva drank the poison Halahala to save the universe during the famous incident of Samudra Manthan. When the ocean of milk was churned by the Devatas (Gods) and Rakshasas in hunt for Nectar, the foremost derivative which came out was poison. Upon seeing this fast stretching of this poison into the world, Lord Shiva gulped it down and maintained it at the throat level. Because of this throat colour changed into deep blue and he was named as Neela Kantha.  But a few drops fell on the ground and the snakes are believed to carry it around still. People propitiate the Nagas (Snakes) on the day to avoid snake bites and also as a thanksgiving for not letting the poison spread on earth. It is believed that the Samdura Manthan episode mentioned in the Puranas happened in the Shravan month. 

KRISHNA CONQUERS KALIYA

According to Puranic scriptures, Brahma's son Kashyapa had four wives. The first wife gave birth to Devas; the second to Garudas; the third to Nāgas; and the fourth to Daityas. Nāgas were the rulers of Pātāl-Loka.

The names of the Nine Great Nāgas are: Ananta, Vāsuki, Shesha, Padmanābha, Kambala, Shankhapāla, Dhārtarāshtra, Takshaka, and Kaliya.

Another legend indicates that Nag Panchami is performed in remembrance of Sri Krishna subduing Kaliya Nag and saving human beings and animals. Kaliya Nag was poisoning the Yamuna River. 

According to the scriptures, Lord Krishna conquered Naga Kāliya and put an end to the evil deeds on this day (Nāga Panchamī). Tradition says that Kathmandu valley used to be a vast lake. When human beings started to drain the lake to make space for settlements, Nagas became enraged. To protect themselves against the wrath of Nagas, people gave the latter certain areas as pilgrimage destinations, thus restoring harmony in nature.

According to other scriptures, a king used his Tantric powers to force Nagas to return to the land and control the rains. The Nagas complied, but in recognition of their power to control the rains, the king established the Naga Panchami festival.

In Jainism and Buddhism too the snake is regarded as sacred and has divine qualities. It is believed that a Cobra snake saved the life of Buddha; another protected Jain Muni Parshwanath.

Read Also: How to Celebrate Nagara Panchami

How to Celebrate Nagara Panchami

Nagara Panchami observed on the fifth day after Amavasya in Shravan month is dedicated to the Nagas, the snake deities. Hindus observe Nagara Panchami Vratha on the day. In western part of India certain Hindus fast on Nagara Chaturthi day, which falls a day before.

SPECIALITIES 

This day is like Raksha Bandhan for South Indian Hindus. If there is no ant hill nearby, they offer puja to snake statues erected in nearby temples. A portion of milk used for puja is taken back home and offered to everyone as prasad. Sisters traditionally invite their brothers to their home. They then immerse a flower in the leftover milk and apply it on their brothers' back, perform aarti, and present the men with gifts. Thus on the Nag Panchami day in some regions the brother visits his married sister and she applies milk or ghee on the back, spine and navel of the brother and she prays for his long life. The rubbing of milk symbolically reminds the umbilical connection. Sweets like Kadubu and Nuchununde are prepared, offered to Lord Krishna, and then distributed among guests.

REASON BEHIND NAGARA PANCHAMI? 

The main reason of celebrating this day must be that snakes are a great threat to mankind during these months. The monsoon season is at its peak during this period (July – August) and snakes move out of their burrows, which are filled with water, and occupy spaces frequented by human beings and may harm them. So it is widely believed that Nagara Panchami is observed to please the Nagas and avoid snake bites during this season.

SPECIAL PUJAS 

Prayers are offered at Naga temples, sacred places with idols of Nagas and at anthills. Almost all villages in India have a sacred place for snakes with a small grove and numerous idols of the Nagas. Prayers are also offered at the shrines of Shiva. In West Bengal and Orissa, Mansa, the queen of serpents, is worshipped on this day.

Milk, betel leaf, betel nut, tender coconuts, turmeric powder, puffed paddy, jaggery, flower bunches and tender leaves of palm and areca trees are offered. In some regions, people feed snakes with milk. In most places snake charmers arrive with snakes on the day. Certain villages in Karnataka are known to feed milk to poisonous snake.

NAGARA RANGOLI 

In many places, two images of snakes are drawn on both sides of doors using cow dung, rice or turmeric paste on the day.  In some places people draw a five-headed snake. Snake kolams are drawn on this day in South India. This is to welcome the Nag Raja. Five-hooded idols are worshipped in many regions. The idol of five-hooded snake is made using mud, turmeric, sandal and saffron.

VRATHA

In some places, people fast from sunrise to sunset. It is a partial fast and they eat food without salt. Deep-fried things are avoided on the day. Some people only consume food after sunset. Some Hindu communities in South India have an elaborate oil bath on the day. There is a belief that unmarried women who undertake Naga Panchami Vrat and do the puja to Nagas will get good husbands.  

Read Also: Nagara Panchami Legend