Mangalore: Among all the Indian Hindu Festival, Nag Panchami, is considered as one of the most significant festival which is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit fortnight of the month of Shravan, which appears in the month of July – August.
In puranas, Serpent god is known in many prominent names such as Vasuki, Anantha, Shesh, Kanwal, Padma, Kalia, Aswatar, Karkotak, Takshak, Dhritarashtra, Sankhpal, and Pingala. But the historians have stated that these characters are not really serpents, but kings of great power.
The devotees throng at the Naga temples to worship before the stone images of the Nag Devtha. The serpent god is worshipped with ghee, milk, sugar, honey, and tender coconut, after which these offerings are consumed as prasada.
The Serpent god is worshipped in many prominent temples like in Subrahmanya in Sullia, Kudupu in Mangalore, Kalavar in Kundapur, and Manjeshwar in Kasargod attract a large number of devotees on Nag Panchami.
Devotees believe that the Nag Devtha should be worshipped in the traditional place of worship, hence they wait in long queues for their turn to worship the serpent god since early morning at 6 am.
During the Nag Panchami, the priests at the various temples perform special pujas such as Sarpa Sankula, Sarpa Sankashtanashana, Ashelesha Bali, and others for the devotees. The highlights of the celebrations were anna prasada and special floral decorations.