Nag Panchami, the festival of worshipping snakes, is celebrated in which Hindu month?

Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright half of the month of Shravana, which usually falls in July or August, during the monsoon. On this day, Hindus worship snakes (nagas) and snake deities.

Snakes have been revered in India since ancient times. They are associated with several Hindu gods: Lord Shiva wears a snake (Vasuki) around his neck, Lord Vishnu rests on the great serpent Shesha (Ananta), and Lord Krishna is believed to have defeated the poisonous serpent Kaliya in the Yamuna river, an event that some traditions link with Nag Panchami. Snakes are also seen as protectors of the earth, of water and of fertility.

During the monsoon, snakes come out of their holes, which are flooded with rain water, and are more often seen near homes. Nag Panchami is believed to protect people and their families from snakebites. On this day, devotees worship images or idols of snakes made of clay, silver, stone or wood, or drawn on walls with sandalwood or turmeric paste. They offer milk, flowers, turmeric, kumkum, rice and sweets, and sometimes pour milk into snake holes (anthills) in the fields. Women fast and pray for the well-being of their brothers and families. Many people avoid digging the soil, ploughing the fields, cutting vegetables or frying food on this day, to avoid harming snakes. Temples dedicated to snakes, such as the Nagchandreshwar temple in Ujjain, which opens only once a year on Nag Panchami, attract large crowds.

In some places, such as the village of Battis Shirala in Sangli district, Maharashtra, people used to catch and worship live cobras, but this has been restricted by courts to protect wildlife.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bhadrapada is the month of Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi.
• ✗Kartika is the month of Diwali.
• ✗Chaitra is the month of Ram Navami.