'Nag Panchami' celebrated in Allahabad

Allahabad, Aug 6 (ANI): People in Allahabad celebrated Nag Panchami festival with religious fervour on Wednesday.

Nag Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit-fortnight in the month of Shravan every year, according to the Hindu calendar when people worship snake god.

"Offering milk to snakes brings prosperity for the entire family," said Swastik, a devotee.

This day also serves the purpose of wildlife conservation as millions of devotees refrain from harming snakes or any reptiles.

Snake charmers, an otherwise impoverished lot, command importance on this day as devotees buy pairs of serpents and later release them in the forests.

During Shravan month or (July-August) serpents invariably come out of their holes that get inundated with rain-water to seek shelter in gardens and houses. As such they pose a danger to man. It is, therefore, thought that snakes are worshiped on this day.

Right from the time when mankind started acquiring some sort of culture, the sun and the snake have been invoked with prayers and ritual worship in most countries. In India, even before the Vedic times, the tradition of snake-worship has been in vogue. (ANI)