Mangalore: 'Naga Panchami', Festival of Serpents Celebrated with Fervour
by Suresh Padiyar - Pics: Sphoorti Ullal
for Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA)
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Mangalore, Aug 6: People living in the coastal region of Karnataka believe that serpents are the visible incarnations of the angels. The coastal belt and the Western Ghats have been a traditional habitat of serpents since times unknown. Our ancestors developed the idea of setting up separate thickets in their backyards, specifically for creating habitats named 'Nagabana' for the poisonous snakes. The ant hills which house the serpents were visible everywhere in the past, but with the encroachment of concrete structures everywhere, they have become very rare now.
Panchami of the Shukla Paksha (fifth day after the new moon) of Shravana month in Hindu calendar is known as the Nagapanchami day. This is the first festival to be observed as per the Hindu calendar. The other occasions on which the serpent god is worshipped are Ananta Vrtutha, Subrahmanya Shashti and Kiru Shashti. Scientifically, the period during which these festivals fall, is known to be an ideal one for the serpents to hatch eggs.
Worship of the serpents has been mentioned in various mythological works of Indian culture. Serpents are believed to be belonging to a section of demigods who live below the earth in their own kingdom. They are believed to be having special powers, like cursing the people and giving boons to those who bow before them. Some of the serpents on a 'higher plane' are believed to be having the power to acquire human forms at their will.
The people living in coastal Karnataka and Kerala have long believed that Lord Naga, the serpent god and Lord Subrahmanya, son of Lord Shiva are one and the same, even though this concept does not have the backing of any specific reasoning. Services of Naga Patris, people who are believed to be having the power to invoke the serpent god on themselves, are used both for placing before the Lord the problems faced by the people, specifically about the misfortunes the families face, and getting a solution there from. The advices given by the Nagapatri are followed in toto, like organizing special worship of the serpent god, etc. Since long, consecration of the serpent god in the form of sculpted rocks, is believed to be immensely beneficial for the couple which are unable to conceive an off-spring. The bases of sacred fig trees are considered to be auspicious for housing such Nagabimbas. People also seek the Naga's help for curing skin and eyes related diseases. If any one kills a serpent by mistake, they need to repent for the deed and get rid of the sin by following appropriate rituals like Naga Samskara (last rituals) at temples.
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.
Naga Panchami is also observed in various parts of the country including north Karnataka and Maharastra. In north Karnataka and some parts of Maharashtra, ant hills and live Nagas are worshipped on Naga Panchami day. In the coastal belt, Subrahmanya in Sullia taluk, Kudupu near Mangalore, Kalavar near Kundapur and Manjeshwar in Kasargod district are the famous abodes of the serpent god, where devotees throng in large numbers on the Naga Panchami day and offer various kinds of worships to appease Him. After anointing rock forms of the serpent god with Panchamrutha, a mixture of sugar, honey, milk, curds, honey and tender coconut water, people consume it with reverence, believing that they get His blessings and protection as a result. Mruttika (soil collected from the base of the abode of the serpent god) and turmeric are also used as the 'Prasadam' of the serpent god.
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