Nag Panchami 2026 Date – 17 August

Why snakes are worshipped

Serpents (nagas) have a special place in Hindu tradition. Shesha (Ananta), the serpent on which Vishnu rests, holds up the earth; Vasuki, the serpent around Shiva's neck, served as the rope at the churning of the ocean. Nag Panchami falls on Panchami, the fifth lunar day of the bright fortnight of Shravana, in the heart of the monsoon, when snakes leave their flooded burrows and are most often seen near homes and fields. Worshipping them is a prayer for protection from snakebite and a sign of respect for creatures that keep rodents away from crops.

Stories linked to the day

• Young Krishna subdued the serpent Kaliya, who had poisoned the Yamuna, by dancing on his hoods – and then let him go.
• The sage Astika persuaded King Janamejaya to stop a sacrifice meant to destroy all snakes, saving the naga race; the day is said to commemorate this.
• A popular folk story tells of a farmer who accidentally killed snakelings while ploughing, and of the daughter whose worship of the mother serpent saved the family – the reason many avoid ploughing or digging on this day.

Regional customs

• Maharashtra – images of snakes are drawn on walls with sandalwood or turmeric paste, and women sing and play traditional games.
• Karnataka – Nagara Panchami: sisters pray for their brothers' well-being, and stone images of nagas (naga kallu) under peepal trees are bathed with milk.
• Kerala and coastal Karnataka – worship at sacred groves (sarpa kavu) and at temples such as Mannarasala.
• Uttar Pradesh – wrestling bouts (dangal) and the Guriya festival in some areas, where girls throw cloth dolls into ponds.
• Gujarat – Nag Pancham is kept on a different day, in the dark half of Shravana a few days before Janmashtami, followed by Randhan Chhath and Shitala Satam.

Do snakes drink milk?

No. Snakes are reptiles and cannot digest milk; forcing it on them can cause dehydration or death. Capturing snakes for display or for 'milk feeding' is illegal under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and is cruel. Offer milk to a naga idol, a stone image or an anthill instead, and call a local rescuer if you see a snake.

Nag Panchami puja samagri (what you need)

• Naga idol, picture, or a drawing of a snake made with sandalwood or cow dung
• Raw milk and water
• Turmeric, roli and chandan
• Akshat
• Flowers, especially white ones
• Durva grass
• Sweets – kheer or puffed rice with jaggery
• Diya and incense

How to do Nag Panchami puja, step by step

1. Bathe early and draw a naga image near the doorway or puja place, or place an idol on a chowki.
2. Offer water and a little milk to the image, idol or an anthill.
3. Apply turmeric, roli and chandan, and offer akshat, flowers and durva.
4. Offer sweets and light a diya and incense.
5. Pray for the family's protection, reciting the names of the eight nagas if you know them.
6. Avoid digging the soil and, if it is your custom, cutting or frying food.