Mangalore, Aug 14: Naga Panchami, which falls on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of  Shravana month, was celebrated in city on August 14, Saturday.

On this particular day, the devotees go to temples and worship the stone images of the serpent god and perform puja. The devotees offer honey, sugar, ghee, milk and tender coconut water (Panchamrita) to bathe the images and also consume a mixture of these items as blessing from the serpent god.

During this day, People believe that they have to perform ritualistic worship of the serpent god at the traditional place of worship (Moolanaga), where their forefathers had paid obeisance to the Naga. This practice perhaps, came into being for the people belonging to the lineage to congregate at a particular spot at least once annually to keep touch with their close ones.

People on the particular day avoid eating the food seasoned with oil in order to remain it in peace.

Most of the devotees throng to Subrahmanya in Sullia taluk, Manjeshwar in Kasargod district and Kudupu, Mangala devi in the city to offer various pujas on the day of Nag Panchami.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, after speaking to the media at Circuit house visited Mangalore’s famous Naga temple Kudupu to perform puja and appease the serpent god