‘India not for beginners’: Internet erupts with videos of devotees parading with snakes around their necks during Nag Panchami mela
During the annual Nag Panchami Fair in Singhia Ghat, he walked through the crowd with hundreds of dedicated, spilled around his necks, wrapped around his arms, and even randomly balanced on their heads.
The celebrations began with prayers at the Maa Bhagwati Temple in Singhia Bazaar before going to the banks of the Budhi Gandak River. From young men to old men, every participant proudly held a snake, acted as a divine symbol, not as a threat.
The exhibition moves together from the thick crowd from the show families, the snakes are dragged calmly in wooden rods or settle on their shoulders. Some have even performed stunts, including capture of snakes with their mouths as part of the traditional ritual.
The festival, which has been celebrated for more than a hundred years, attracts people from Khagaria to Sahara, Begusarai to Muzaffarpur. According to the locals, this is not just the demonstration of commitment-a deep-rooted cultural heritage transmitted throughout the Nesylites.
In the spiritual core, the worship of the local snake goddess Mata Vishhari lies. They say the name and pray before leaving the snakes to the nearby forested areas.
While the public opinion can play spotlight, a quieter, more intimate ritual is revealed elsewhere. In gahvar, in sacred gardens or enclosures, women gather to make special points, and pray to Nag Devta for fertility, good health and family protection. If their requests are fulfilled, they will return as Jhaap and Prasad and Thanksgiving to be thankful next year.
Despite the potential risks of addressing wild snakes, local reports confirm that snakes or injuries are not recorded.
Inputs from agencies
