Nagara Panchami at Manjeshwar Srimad Anantheshwara Temple- Pic by Manju Neereshwalya
Nagara Panchami, a festival that is characterized by serpent worship is celebrated across India, Nepal, and other parts of the world, where Hindu practices are followed, in the month of Shravana (July/August). It is especially famous in Tulunad – the coastal areas of Karnataka. In this region, the festival is intended to express gratitude to the serpents, as the locals believe that Tulunadu was formed out of the land reclaimed by Lord Parashurama from the sea by tossing his ax into the sea. They believe that the land so reclaimed belonged to the serpents in the past and therefore they owe a lot to the serpents.
Panchami means fifth. The fifth day of Shravana is dedicated to Serpent worship. According to Hindu Puranas and Mahabharata, Kashyapa, son of the universal creator Lord Brahma married two daughters of Prajapati, Kadru and Vinata. Kadru then gave birth to the race of Nagas.
Nagara Panchami is also a day when Akhara, traditional Indian wrestling gyms, hold special celebrations to honor the mystical symbolism of the snake as a symbol of virility and kundalini energy. Indian scriptures such as Agni Purana, Skanda Purana, Narada Purana, and the Mahabharata give details of the history of snakes extolling worship of snakes.
Snakes, water, and the environment are co-related phenomena in the scientific sphere. In our man-made world, these three variables of nature have combined into a ritualistic process. The rainy season of Varsha Ritu, dedicated to snakes, and agriculture has a developed a symbolic way of thanksgiving to the Sarpaloka (Snake World) for its contribution to rainwater harvesting in a very systematic manner. In folklore, snakes also refer to the rainy season and are depicted as deities of ponds and rivers, and are said to be the embodiment of water as they spring out of their holes, like a spring of water.
In Dakshina Kannada
In undivided Dakshina Kannada District, Nagara Panchami is celebrated in a very holistic way. It is a thanksgiving practice followed by the farming community for helping them in channelizing the water resources to their farming activities.
Traditionally, the serpent shrine a known as Naga Bana, is a natural virgin forest dedicated to snakes. Legend has it, that if worshipped, it will ensure no harm to people in its surroundings. it is a deep-rooted belief. It is said that thousands of such Banas still exist in Tulunadu, which have greatly contributed to the preservation of the native environment for the future.
On the day of the festival, people visit their family houses where the Naga Banas are located and offer their patronage to the Snake God with a variety of traditional offerings: tender coconut, milk, ghee, banana, and sweet. They consume the mixture called Panchamrita with reverence to the serpent gods. A very important flower used for the pooja is Hingara (flower of Areca tree) and Sampige and locally available flowers.
During this pandemic, most of the temples dedicated to Snakes in Dakshina Kannada are however not permitting the public to worship from within due to Government restrictions on places of worship. This is certainly unusual for the festival. Normally, thousands of people visit temples at Kudupu and Sharavu to pray to the serpent gods. But this time, a handful of them have been seen praying from outside with the hope that coronavirus will stop bothering them and allow them to celebrate their festivals with enthusiasm and in a traditional manner. Devotees re also finding alternative ways to offer their prayers to God.
In the time tested pedagogy, Nagara Panchami has become more of a ritual than being thankful for nature. However, the practice always makes people return to their family homes and share their joys and happiness and become one with nature again. It also brings a sense of togetherness that perhaps is missing the rest of the year, given the busy lives we all lead in cities.
Happy Nagara Panchami wishes to all.
