Nag Panchmi celebrated in Rajasthan

People in Rajasthan celebrated Nag Panchami festival with religious fervour on Friday.

By Lokendra Singh

Jaipur, Aug 3 : People in Rajasthan celebrated Nag Panchami festival with religious fervour on Friday.

In Jaipur, hundreds of devotees at various Nag temples offered milk to the serpents marking the auspicious day, which falls on the on the fifth day of Shravan (July-August) as per the Hindu almanac.

"It's Nag Panchami. It is the day of Naaga Puja. Those who happen to have Kaal Sarpa Dosha in their fate release the snakes on this day and the results are good for them," said a priest.

Many devotees even opted to buy a pair of snakes from the snake charmers who had gathered outside the temples where the devotees offered them milk.

The snakes were later released into the nearby jungles believing it would help the devotee to get rid of Kaal Sarpa Dosha, a belief attributed to planetary position in a horoscope.

Indernath, a snake charmer, said: "Many devotees are coming here to buy a pair of snakes from us to be released in jungles. The idea is to abate the impact of Kaal Sarpa Dosha in their horoscope. This way we earn good money and the devotees get good lives. The cost of a pair of snakes may range between rupees 500 to 5100,"

In Hindu mythology, it is believed that the person born under "Kaal Sarpa Yog" has to endure tough times throughout his or her life.

Asha Rathore, one of the devotees, said: "I have Kaal Sarpa Yog in my horoscope. An astrologer has told me to release a pair of snakes in forest to reduce the negative impact of this Yog in my life. Hence, I have purchased a pair for rupees 500 today."

It is believed that the remedy for this harmful effect includes worshiping Lord Hanuman and performing Nagdosh Nivaran Puja to keep away the shadow of Rahu (planet) and feeding ants and fishes.

Dhirender Verma, another devotee, said: "We believe that if one serves a snake with milk on Naaga Panchami, luck ushers on the person and his life becomes blissful. So I have served milk to snakes on this day."

Serpents, the cobras in particular, are worshipped by a lot of Hindus.

ANI