In South India, the legends of the Nag Panchami festival often revolve around the bond between brothers and sisters. One significant ritual on this day involves sisters rubbing milk or ghee on their brothers’ backs, spines, and navels.
A prominent story associated with Nag Panchami goes like this: Once, a young girl asked her brother to fetch a Ketaki flower for Naga Puja. Ketaki, or screwpine, is used in the worship of Nagaraja (the Snake God). Unfortunately, while searching for the Ketaki flower, the brother is bitten by a snake and dies. The distraught sister prays and performs a vrata (vow), propitiating Nagaraja, who brings her brother back to life.
Many such stories are found in local folklore, and in most of them, the sister resurrects her dead brother. Consequently, on Nag Panchami in some regions, brothers visit their married sisters. The sisters then apply milk or ghee to their brothers’ backs, spines, and navels, praying for their long lives. This ritual symbolically reinforces their umbilical connection and familial bond.
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.
Why is Nag Panchami Celebrated?
During the monsoon months of July and August, heavy rains often flood snake burrows, forcing snakes to come out and sometimes becoming hostile towards humans. Nag Panchami is celebrated to feed and appease snakes by offering them milk, based on the belief that snakes remember those who are kind to them and will not harm them. This festival is also thought to help individuals gain the blessings of Lord Shiva and rid themselves of sins and bad luck, particularly from the planets Rahu and Ketu.
Legends and Stories Behind Nag Panchami
1. Janamejaya’s Yagna (Mahabharata):
King Janamejaya performed a snake sacrifice yagna, Sarpa Satra, to avenge his father’s death caused by the snake king Takshaka. To stop this, the gods sought help from Manasadevi, who sent her son Astik. Astik impressed Janamejaya with his wisdom and convinced him to stop the yagna, saving Takshaka and Indra. This event is commemorated on Nag Panchami.
2. Krishna and Kaliya:
Young Krishna was playing by the Yamuna River when their ball fell into the water, where the serpent Kaliya lived. Krishna defeated Kaliya, who then realized Krishna was Vishnu’s incarnation and promised not to harm anyone again. This incident also took place on the Panchami of Shravan month.
3. The Farmer’s Tale:
A farmer’s son killed three snakes while ploughing, prompting the mother snake to bite the entire family in revenge. The surviving daughter begged for forgiveness and offered milk to the mother snake, who then restored the family’s lives. This story emphasizes forgiveness and the significance of Nag Panchami.
How is the Festival Celebrated?
Women observe a fast from sunrise to sunset, symbolizing discipline and devotion. They prepare a pooja thali with flowers, sweets, and milk, offering it to snake burrows or temples. In Maharashtra, Nag Panchami is especially significant, with temples dedicated to snakes and Lord Shiva. In Central and North India, festivities include decorating wrestling pits and carrying dough snakes around villages. In South India, particularly in Kerala and Karnataka, special poojas and offerings are made to snake images and idols at home.