Nag Panchami

The festival of Nag Panchami is celebrated in Panchami Tethi in the suklapakcha of Sawan i.e. during the full moon day in the month of August.

It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of the origin of this custom of serpent worship but when looked at the history of creation it can be found that this custom was prevelent since then and had already acquired popularity far and wide. The wife of Kaishap Rishi is Adithi and the serpent sons of the Kadru, the sister of Adithi, are the brothers. We see numerous snakes on the body of Lord Shankar. The evidence of serpents being worshipped both on earth and heaven are found even in Yajur Ved as "Nama astu sarbathayo yesh Kay cha Prithivi manu yeah antarickchay yeah devi tavya Sarphyviyo nama". Besides vedic literature, there are the descriptions of about 80 Nagkuls (serpent dynasties) in Puranas too. Among them Ananta, Basuki padma, Mahapadma, Takchak, Kulir, Karkat and Sankha are the main kuls. Through all these references what we deduce is that the custom of Nag puja or the serpent worship among Hindus started not as a result of the influence of other tribes and communities but came down since

It is presumed that the valley of Kathmandu once was the abode of Nag. May be because of this, Nag Pokhari (serpent lake) are still found in many places. Almost all the temple entrances are adorned by the stone carvings of Nag, and the legends such as how the drought continued for 12 years during the meditation of Guru Ghoraknath in the name of nine nags, and how this spell broke with good rainfall only when he went to meet his guru Satendranath, as was narrated by Nag raja to a Baidhya, still lingers in the mind of common people

It is customary to stick printed picture or a replica of nag either with gum or sticky dung ceremoniously on or near the door on the day of Nag Panchami. In doing so, the Brahmins worship and pray Agastha, Pulastha, Baismapayan, Sumantu, Kalyanmitra and Jaimini nags to save the house and the family members from thunder strike. It is believed that nag Panchami ensures a household from thunder strike, other natural calamities, clouds and fire for a year. By nature nags are revenger but they never bite anyone without being provocated or threatened at first.

The myth associated with the origin of Nag Panchami is as such.
Once a farmer, while working in his farm, accidentally killed three baby nags. The mother nag who had gone out in search of food wailed and deeply mourned at the death of her dear babies when she returned back. In her fits of anger she went to the house of the farmer and killed him and his family members. Fortunately one of his daughters was not at home and she was spared. On the next day when the -nag again visited the house to kill the only left out members, the  daughter offered her milk with due respect and sincerely begged for pardon. This threatment made the nag so happy that she not only rewarded her with a new lease of life but also made all her dead family members alive. That day was the day of Panchami Tethi of Sawan i.e. the day on which Nag Panchami is celebrated . When this - incident spread everybody started worshipping both the serpent and the cow with equal reverence unmindful of the poison and the milk that they provide for humanity.

Nag Puja started in India before the Commencement of Christian era. Inspired by the nag statues of Southern India, the Chinese travellers have described the reverence and popularity the nag availed In Indian in their descriptions dating fourth Century BC. The engraved Nag status of Ajanta caves also prove that Nag Puja is an old Indian custom. A man named Abul Fajal had described that during Mughal period and specially during Akbar's reign Nag used to be worshipped in more than seven hundred sacred places. Even today nag mandirs are found all over India. In Bengal the nag is worshipped in the form of Mansha devi. The Nagas of Nagalarid take pride in considering themselves as the descendents of Nag. Nag Panchami is considered the main festival in Orissa and Maharastra. - In Punjab Nag Puja is popular with the name of Gungaypir or the puja of Mauni Santa. The religious custom of erecting rest places near serpent burrows and offering eateries on them are still prevelent in central India. In order to appease nag, an area called nag ban (serpent forest) has been apportioned and dedicated to them in Malabar Hills. This means that there is no state in India where the serpent is not worshipped and shall continue  in future too. Similarly, on seeing the serpents, covering the heads of the Gods of Jain and Buddhist religious. It can be said that they too respect and rever the serpents, the tantrik sect of Buddhism also worship Nag.

Not only .Indians, the foreigners also believe that the earth has been encircled by a giant serpent and the quaking of the earth is due to its movement. Absenian and Japanese Royal dynasties consider themselves to be the descendent of Nag dynasty and consider Nag as gods. Unan and Arab, the sources of ancient civilizations, still rever and worship serpents in their temples. The Nag temple of Peking, the old Capital of China, proves that Chinese also rever and worship Nag.' Previously Nag used to be worshipped in Australia, Sweden, Norway and Africa. The aborigins of America till today worship Nag with utmost reverence.

In order to know the reason why Nags are worshipped it is wise to learn few facts about them. Out of 121 kinds of snakes known till date, all are not poisonous and all of them do not bite until they are provoked and harmed at first. Therefore to remove our belief that snakes are our enemies by their birth and they should be killed at the first sight, and to foster in ourselves a sense of universal brotherhood and to wish them safety from harm and hostile natural calamity, the serpents are worshipped all over. Love and fellow feeling are capable of turning a fearful animal into a useful one. That is why our scriptures are full of stories that tell us the relationship between the gods and the snakes. The farmers come across snakes daily in their fields, so in order not to nurture dislike and fear for them but to consider them as fellow creature sharing this world with us and to and to encourage them to continue their life cart without a sense of discrimination, the custom of worshipping snakes on the day of Nag Panchami was started by our forefathers. Both the Sikkimese Hindus and Buddhists have continued this custom through the ages. Dragon or the serpent God occupies an important and very reverntial place in Buddhist religion. Nag is the God of water world and is believed to dwell in the sources of water. That is why we believe that one is punished with sores and other skin diseases if he pollutes the water with his excreta and in that case nag is to be worshipped to cure him. The mandir of Nagdevi Phodong is a clear indicator which tells us that Nag in Sikkim is widely worshipped by all.