Mangalore : The first festival of the Hindu calendar, Nagara Panchami is celebrated with fervor and devotion in various temples in city on August 1, Friday.

Thousands of devotees flocked to the temples and offered various obeisance such as ‘Naga Thambila’ to the serpent god.

Nag Panchami, which is one of the significant festivals celebrated throughout the country, is on the fifth day of the moonlit fortnight of the month of Shravan (July/August). During this season, the serpents emerge from their holes and devotees worship them with milk, turmeric, tender coconut, honey, and flowers.

The devotees visit Naga temples and offer worship before the stone images of the Nag Devatha by bathing these images with honey, sugar, milk, ghee, and tender coconut water (Panchamrita), after which they consume part of these offerings as prasada or blessings from the Nag Devtha.

Alake Nagabrahma, Mangaladevi, Shravu, Kudupu temple in Mangalore, Subramanya in Sullia, Kalavar near Kundapur, and Manjeshwar in Kasargod are famous abodes of the Naga, attracting devotees in large numbers on Nag Panchami. Devotees seek the protection of the Nag Devtha by offering him Panchamrutha, a mixture of sugar, milk, honey, curds, and tender coconut water and then reverently consume the same, believing it to be his blessings.