Nag Panchami is the most popular of the Indian festivals. The festival is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the lord of all snakes. Hindus consider snakes a symbol of power and control, thus the festival is held on the day of the waning moon of Shravan (January-February first). It is celebrated in many places across India also.
The meaning of the festival is rooted in the myth of Lord Shiva, the king of Gods in heaven. He is associated with the element earth and is the son of Heaven and Earth. As a result of this, the festival is also referred to as the ‘education of the earth from the gods and the return of the controlling power of the lord to earth’.
In ancient times, the snakes were considered gods in their own right. They were associated with the elements of metal and stone. This is in addition to the idea that the snake has the power to turn into a dragon. It is believed that Lord Shiva changed into a snake because of the mischievousness of his brother Kartikay. His brother tricked him into drinking some magical water that turned him into a serpent. This was enough to make him turn into a dragon, and eventually lead his family to worship him as a god.
The importance of snake worship can be seen from the fact that not only is the festival held to honor the Lord, but it also celebrates the community that has followed him throughout his long life. His followers are honored on the occasion as well as those who helped him along the way. Local temples and community centers organize the ceremony and the community to provide food and other materials which are used in the ceremony.
The festival has been celebrated ever since the time of Emperor Ashoka, who brought the snake cult into the Indian polity. According to legend, Ashoka gave away his snakes to the children of the land in exchange for their good behavior. This is why the children gathered in a community and worshiped the snake god until death.
Today snake worship is not only common in India, but also is prevalent in many parts of the world. It can be found in most parts of Africa, and in some parts of Asia as well. In Indonesia, you will find that the Orang Asli is honored with a special ceremony in which the boy prays for the coming of a son. Similar ceremonies are held in parts of Malaysia and Singapore.
Nag Panchami is a very important festival to Hindus because it honors the Lord. It is one of the two major Hindu festivals (the other is low), and it is considered as a most important ceremony. Snake cult began in India and spread throughout the world. The followers of the snake worship believed that snakes have special powers and that by worshiping them they can bring about good luck and prosperity. These followers of the cult considered snakes the incarnation of the gods themselves. They would also believe that by killing a snake they would be eliminating the power of the gods and removing obstacles from their path.
Nag Panchami is a very sacred day for Hindus and a reason why a large number of Hindus gather on this day. On this day they perform a number of rituals like offering a sacrifice to the snake god and invoke blessings upon the family members who take part in the ceremony. Since snake cult is a centuries-old religion practiced in numerous parts of the world, there are many stories of how or where the snake cult originated. One story is that of King , who outlawed the snake cult and forced his subjects to worship only the King.