As it is believed that snakes have more powers than humans and on account of its association with
Shiva,
Devi,
Vishnu and
Subramanya, a degree of fear is instilled resulting in deification of the cobra and its worship throughout the country by Hindus. Snake has connotation with the
Moon’s nodes known in
Hindu astrology. The head of the snake is represented by
Rahu ("Dragon's head") and its tail by
Ketu ("Dragon's tail"). If in the
zodiacal chart of an individual all the seven major planets are hemmed between Rahu and Ketu in the reverse order (anticlockwise) it is said to denote Kalasarpa dosha (Defect due to black snakes), which forebodes ill luck and hardship in an individual's life and therefore appeased by offering worship to the snakes on Naga Panchami day.
North and Northwestern India Naga Panchami is celebrated all over
North India. In
Kashmir, from historical times snakes have been worshipped by Hindus, and the places of worship are reported as 700. In north western India, in cities such as
Benares, it is the time when
Akharas (venues of wrestling practice and competitions) as part of Naga Panchami celebrations are bedecked; on this occasion the ahkaras are cleaned up thoroughly and walls painted with images of snakes, priests preside, and the
gurus are honoured along with the sponsors. Its significance is that the
wrestlers stand for virility and Naga symbolizes this “scheme of virility”. Akharas are decorated with snake images showing snakes drinking milk. In Narasinghgarh
akhara in
Varanasi there is special shrine dedicated to Naga Raja (King of Snakes) where a bowl is suspended above the image of the snake and milk is poured into it so that it trickle over the snake god as a form of an offering. On this day
snake charmers are everywhere in towns and villages displaying snakes in their baskets which will have all types of snakes such as
pythons,
rat snakes, and cobras mingled together. Some of the snake charmers hang limp snakes around their neck and crowds gather to witness these scenes. The snakes in the basket are also worshipped on the occasion. However, in
Punjab this festival is celebrated in a different month and in a different format, in the month of
Bhadra (September–October) and is called
Guga Nauvami (ninth day of lunar month during bright half of Moon). On this occasion an image of snake is made with
dough and kept in a “winnowing basket” and taken round the village. Villagers offer
flour and
butter as oblation to the image. At the end of the parade, the snake is formally buried and women worship the snake for nine days and give offering of
curds.
Western India As in the rest of the country, the Naga Panchmi is celebrated in
Western India and is known as the
Ketarpal or
Kshetrapal, meaning, a protector of his domain. In this part of the country, snake is named
Bhujang, which is also the
Sanskrit name for snake, in the
Kutch region. The name is attributed to the city of
Bhuj which is located below the hill named Bhujiya, after Bhujang, as it was the abode of snakes. On top of this hill there is a fort known as the
Bhujia Fort where a temple has been built for the snake god and a second temple is at the foot of the hill known as Nani Devi. Bhujia Fort was the scene of a major battle between
Deshalji I, the ruler of Kutch and Sher Buland Khan,
Mughal Viceroy of
Gujarat who had invaded Kutch. It was the early period of Deshalji's reign. When the army of Kutch was in a state of losing the battle, a group of
Naga Bawas opened the gate of Bhujia Fort by a clever ploy of visiting Naga temple for worship and joined the fray against Sher Buland Khan's army. Eventually Deshalji I won the battle. Since that day Naga Bawa and their leader have a pride of place in the procession held on Naga Panchami day. Within the fort, at one corner, there is a small square tower dedicated to
Bhujang Naga (snake god), who in folklore is said to have been the brother of
SheshNaga. It is said Bhujang Naga came from
Than of
Kathiawar and freed Kutch from the oppression of demons known as
daityas and
rakshasas. The Snake Temple was also built at the time of the fortification of the hill during Deshalji I's reign and provided with a
chhatri. Every year on Naga Panchami day a fair is held at the temple premises. In the
Sindhi community Naga Panchami is celebrated in honour of
Gogro.
Eastern and Northeastern India In eastern and north eastern States of India such as
West Bengal, Jharkhand
Orissa and
Assam, the goddess is worshipped as
Manasa. According to the
Hindu mythology, Manasa is a snake goddess who was also called Jaratkaru and wife of Brahmin sage also named Jaratkaru. On this occasion, sh twig of manasa so sale plant
(euphorbia lingularum) symbolizing the goddess Manasa is fixed on the ground and worshipped, not only in the month of Shravan, as in the rest of the country, but also in the month
Bhadra Masa. Festival is held within the precincts of the house.
South India In
South India, snake is identified with Subramanya (Commander of the celestial army) and also with Shiva and
Vishnu. In
Karnataka, the preparation for the festival starts on the New Moon day of
Bhimana Amavasya, five days prior to the festival day of
Panchami. Girls offer prayers to the images made out of white clay painted with white dots. They take a vow by tying a thread dipped in turmeric paste on their right wrist and offer prayers. An image of snake is drawn on the floor in front of the house and milk is offered as oblation. On the night previous to the festival they keep complete fast or take a salt free diet. After the
pooja, a food feast is held. In South India, both sculpted and live snakes are worshipped. Every village has a serpent deity. It is worshipped as a single snake or nine snakes called
Nava Naga but the popular form is of two snakes in the form of an “
Aesculapian rod”. Every worshipper in South India worships the anthill where the snakes are reported to reside. Women decorate the anthill with turmeric paste and
vermillion and sugar mixed with wheat flour. They bedeck it with flowers with the help of threads tied to wooden frames. In Maharashtra, they go round the anthill in a worship mode five times singing songs in praise of snake gods. Another form of worship practiced by women, who have no children for various reasons, install stone statues of snakes below the
peepal tree and offer worship seeking blessings of the snake god for bestowing them with children. This is done as it is believed snakes represent virility and have the gift of inducing
fecundity curing barrenness. In
Coorg in
Karnataka, an ancestral platform called
noka is installed with rough stones which are believed to be the ancestral incarnation in the form of snakes but they are not necessarily worshipped on Naga Panchami day. In
Kerala,
Ezhavas and
Nairs are Serpent-worshipers. A shrine is normally established for snake god at the southwest corner of the ancestral house, along with temple for the para-devata. . For Naga Panchami day, Women fast the previous day. They then on the Naga Panchami Day, take bath at dawn and pray at the tharavad Sarpa kavu. They take the Thirtham milk home. A Chembarathi (Hibiscus) flower is dipped in the milk and sprinkled on the brother's back and then do an arthi. Then a thread dipped in turmeric is tied on the right wrist of the brother. After that a feast is served. ==Observance in Nepal==