Nag Panchami 2024: Know the date, origin, timings, significance, and rituals

On this day, devotees honour and seek the blessings of Nagas to protect their families from evil and to bring prosperity.

The festival involves various rituals, such as offering milk, sweets, and flowers to images and live representations of snakes.

With Nag Panchami just around the corner, here is all you need to know about the auspicious Hindu festival.

Nag Panchami 2024: Date and Timings

Nag Panchami is traditionally celebrated on the fifth day of the bright fortnight in the Hindu lunar month of Shravan. As per the Gregorian calendar, in 2024, this auspicious festival will be observed on Friday, August 9th, while the Hindu calendar states that Nag Panchami Tithi will fall from August 9 at 12:36 am to  August 10 at 3:36 am.

Nag Panchami 2024: Origin and its Significance

The origin of Nag Panchami is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and ancient traditions, highlighting the reverence for serpents as divine and protective beings.

Mythologically, Nag Panchami honours the serpents’ protective and benevolent roles, particularly in the stories of Lord Krishna subduing the serpent Kaliya and Lord Shiva adorned with a cobra around his neck.

These legends emphasise the themes of protection, fertility, and the triumph of good over evil. By worshipping snakes, devotees seek to appease these powerful beings, believing that this will bring prosperity, health, and protection from harm.

Nag Panchami 2024: Rituals and Celebrations

Nag Panchami is celebrated with a variety of rituals that reflect its deep spiritual and cultural significance.

On this auspicious day, devotees begin their observance by taking a ritualistic bath at dawn, symbolising purification.

They then offer prayers and perform puja to snake idols or live cobras, which are often brought by snake charmers.

The offerings include milk, honey, flowers, turmeric, vermilion, and sweets, as these are believed to appease the serpent deities.

Many devotees visit temples dedicated to snake gods, such as the Nag temples in Maharashtra and Karnataka, to participate in special ceremonies.

At home, people draw images of snakes on the walls using a mixture of turmeric and vermilion, believing that this practice will protect their households from snake bites and other misfortunes.

Overall, Nag Panchami rituals serve as a reminder of the sacred bond between humans and nature, emphasising respect and harmony with all creatures.

The festival not only celebrates the mythical triumphs associated with snakes but also reinforces the cultural values of devotion, protection, and communal unity among devotees.