Nag Panchami 2024: Understand Its Importance Beyond Religion

Many festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm in the vast subcontinent of India. The holy land of many festivals and religious rituals. Among the various festivals celebrated here – Nagpanchami is one of them. Also, this auspicious festival has been given a very important place in Hinduism.

The festival of Nagpanchami is celebrated on the Shukla Paksha of Sawan month and Panchami of Krishna Paksha. This year in 2024, Nag Panchami will fall on Friday, August 9, 2024

In many places including India, the festival of Nag Panchami is celebrated only on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha of Sawan month. However, in Gujarat including some parts of South India, the festival of Nag Panchami is celebrated on Panchami of Krishna Paksha.

On this day, 12 forms of Nag Dev are worshipped and milk is offered. The month of Sawan is very dear to Lord Shiva that is also the reason Nag Panchami is celebrated in the month of Sawan.

In Andhra Pradesh, there is a different day for worshipping the snake. Here Nag Chaturthi or Nagula Chavithi is celebrated on Chaturthi just after Deepawali.

Significance of Nag Panchami

On this day, the Lord of Nagalok is worshipped. Apart from India, it is celebrated in many countries around the world including our neighbouring country Nepal. On hearing the name of the snake, a feeling of fear comes into our minds. Moreover, Snake is also considered a direct form of Kaal. But, worshipping the snake on the day of Nag Panchami removes all the fears. On the day of Nag Panchami, worshipers offer milk to the snake deity. At the same time, in many regions, a picture of a snake is hung or made at the entrance of the house.

On the day of Nagpanchami, women worship Nag as their brother. You will find about the reason in the story of Nag Panchami. Also, worshipping Lord Shiva on this day offer many benefits. The worship of Mahadev in the month of Sawan is considered to be of greater importance. It is also believed that if someone in your house has died due to a snake bite, then you should fast on Panchami for a year i.e. twelve months. Hence, there will never be any fear of snakes in future.

There are also temples of Nag Devta in many parts of our country including Maharashtra, Karnataka, where devotees offer special worship to Nag Devta on the day of Naga Panchami. This festival is also known for protecting serpents. This inspires us to save snakes from unruly trade, where they are either illegally traded to different lands or killed for various reasons.