Nag Panchami

 An important festival in Maharashtra, Nag Panchali is celebrated in the honour of the Snake God Shesha Nag on the fifth day of the holy month of Shravan. Snake worship is an important ritual in India, and on this festival, cobras made of clay are venerated in homes. It is mainly celebrated for two reasons. Firstly, the abode of the nags (snakes) forms the bottom of the patal lok, and the blessings of the nags are sought for the well-being of the family. Secondly, the nags (snakes) keep the crops safe from rats and rodents, and so the farmers pray to the nag-devta and offer their thanks. People make offerings of sweets and milk to the snake deity. Cobras are carried by snake charmers in baskets and they collect offerings from the public in the streets. The day is celebrated with dances and songs in the streets. People throng nag temples and also Shiva temples since the nag is very closely associated with Lord Shiva.

Indian scriptures such as Agni Purana, Skanda Purana, Narada Purana and the Mahabharata give details of history of snakes extolling worship of snakes.

In the Mahabharata epic, Janamejaya, the son of King Parikshita of the Kuru dynasty was performing a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra, to avenge for the death of his father from a snake bite by the snake king called Takshaka.

Sarpa Satra, the snake sacrifice where Astika, young Brahmin stops the yagna.

A sacrificial fireplace had been specially erected and the fire sacrifice to kill all snakes in the world was started by a galaxy of learned Brahmin sages. The sacrifice performed in the presence of Janamejaya was so powerful that it was causing all snakes to fall into the Yagna kunda (sacrificial fire pit). When the priests found that only Takshaka who had bitten and killed Parisksihita had escaped to the nether world of Indra seeking his protection, the sages increased the tempo of reciting the mantras (spells) to drag Takshaka and also Indra to the sacrificial fire. Takshaka had coiled himself around Indra's cot but the force of the sacrificial yagna was so powerful that even Indra along with Takshaka were dragged towards the fire. 

This scared the gods who then appealed to Manasadevi to intervene and resolve the crisis. She then requested her son Astika to go to the site of the yagna and appeal to Janamejaya to stop the Sarpa Satra yagna. Astika impressed Janamejaya with his knowledge of all the Sastras (scriptures) who granted him to seek a boon. It was then that Astika requested Janamejeya to stop the Sarpa Satra. Since the king was never known to refuse a boon given to a Brahmin, he relented, in spite of protects by the rishis performing the yagna. The yagna was then stopped and thus the life of Indra and Takshaka and his other serpent race were spared. This day, according to the Hindu Calendar, happened to be Nadivardhini Panchami (fifth day of bright fortnight of the lunar month of Shravana during the monsoon season) and since then the day is a festival day of the Naga as their life was spared on this day. Indra also went to Manasadevi and worshipped her.

According to the Garuda Purana, offering prayers to snake on this day is auspicious and will usher good tidings in one's life. This is to be followed by feeding Brahmins.