Wishing our dear readers a very happy ' Festival of Snakes' celebrated all over India which also indicates brotherhood and sisterhood among their fraternity for communial harmony and peaceful relationship.
How India celebrates we have an article from http://festivalsofindia.in/nagpanchami/ for our dear readers who wish to know. An extract of it is reproduced below.
Nag-Panchami is an important all-India festival and is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit-fortnight in the month of Shravan (July /August). This is the time when serpents invariably come out of their holes that get inundated with rain-water to seek shelter in gardens and many times in houses. As such they pose a great danger to man.
Celebrations
During this time, snakes often seek refuge in houses as their holes in the ground become flooded with rainwater. Due to the danger they pose to humans, snakes are worshiped during this period to protect villagers from harm.
During this time, snakes often seek refuge in houses as their holes in the ground become flooded with rainwater. Due to the danger they pose to humans, snakes are worshiped during this period to protect villagers from harm.
Nag Panchami is celebrated throughout India; however, more festivities are seen in the south than in the north.Other popular areas of worship during the Nag Panchami include:
Adiesha Temple in Andhra Pradesh
Nagaraja Temple in Kerala
Nagathamman Temple in Chennai
Hardevja Temple in Jaipur.
Adiesha Temple in Andhra Pradesh
Nagaraja Temple in Kerala
Nagathamman Temple in Chennai
Hardevja Temple in Jaipur.
Important Aspects of Nag Panchami
This so called "snake day" has several important components. In addition to offerings made to the snakes throughout the country during worship and celebration, men and women celebrate the day in these ways:
1.Cobras are bathed in milk and offered rice as this is thought to offer immunity from their bites. Women often partake in early baths of milk and wear colourful saris.
2.Pots of milk and flowers are placed next to holes that are believed to contain snakes as an offering of devotion. If a snake actually drinks the milk it is thought to be the ultimate sign of good luck.
3.Mansa, the Queen of Snakes, is worshiped in most parts of Bengal during Nag Panchami.
4.In the Punjabi region, a large dough snake is created and then paraded around the village. The parade is colourful with plenty of singing and dancing; at the end of the parade the snake is buried.
This so called "snake day" has several important components. In addition to offerings made to the snakes throughout the country during worship and celebration, men and women celebrate the day in these ways:
1.Cobras are bathed in milk and offered rice as this is thought to offer immunity from their bites. Women often partake in early baths of milk and wear colourful saris.
2.Pots of milk and flowers are placed next to holes that are believed to contain snakes as an offering of devotion. If a snake actually drinks the milk it is thought to be the ultimate sign of good luck.
3.Mansa, the Queen of Snakes, is worshiped in most parts of Bengal during Nag Panchami.
4.In the Punjabi region, a large dough snake is created and then paraded around the village. The parade is colourful with plenty of singing and dancing; at the end of the parade the snake is buried.
4.Nag Panchami is referred to as "Guga-Navami" in Punjab.
5.Snake charmers sit alongside the roads of Maharashtra and encourage women to offer milk, flowers and haldi-kumkum (a powdered offering of tumeric and vermillion) to the dangerous snakes the snake charmers carry.
6.In many villages, snake charmers carry pots containing cobras to a central temple where they are released and then worshiped with offerings of milk and rice.
7.Mainly in the south of India, people worship figures of snakes made of clay or sandalwood as alternatives to the real-life versions.
8.No Hindu home may fry anything on the day of Nag Panchami.
5.Snake charmers sit alongside the roads of Maharashtra and encourage women to offer milk, flowers and haldi-kumkum (a powdered offering of tumeric and vermillion) to the dangerous snakes the snake charmers carry.
6.In many villages, snake charmers carry pots containing cobras to a central temple where they are released and then worshiped with offerings of milk and rice.
7.Mainly in the south of India, people worship figures of snakes made of clay or sandalwood as alternatives to the real-life versions.
8.No Hindu home may fry anything on the day of Nag Panchami.
9.Girls who are hoping to marry believe that the cobra offers good luck in their quest for eternal happiness.
1 comment:
Good info ... Thanks. :)
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