Nag Panchami 2027नाग पञ्चमी

When is Nag Panchami?

Observed on Shukla Panchami, Shravan month. Dates follow the Panchang for New Delhi and can differ by a day in other places — check the Panchang for your city.

What Nag Panchami means

Nag Panchami, the fifth day of the bright half of Shravan, is the day Hindus worship the Nagas — the divine serpents. It comes in the heart of the monsoon, when rain floods the burrows and snakes come out into fields and homes; the festival turns fear into reverence and asks for protection from snakebite for the whole family.

Serpents are woven through Hindu sacred imagery. Vishnu rests on Shesha (Ananta), whose thousand hoods hold up the worlds; Shiva wears Vasuki around his neck; Vasuki served as the churning rope when the ocean of milk was churned; and Krishna, in the Gita, says 'among serpents I am Vasuki' and 'among the Nagas I am Ananta'. Naga stones under peepal and neem trees, and the sacred groves (sarpa kavu) of Kerala, show how old this worship is.

At its heart the festival is about living in balance with nature. Farmers traditionally do not plough on this day so as not to harm snakes in the soil — and the snake, which keeps rats away from stored grain, has long been the farmer's friend.

The story of Nag Panchami

The Mahabharata tells how King Janamejaya, to avenge his father Parikshit, who had died of the bite of the serpent king Takshaka, began a great sarpa satra — a sacrifice in which serpents from all over the world were drawn into the fire. The young sage Astika, son of a Naga mother, came to the sacrifice, pleased the king with his wisdom, and asked for one boon: that the sacrifice be stopped. The serpents were saved, and tradition places this rescue on Shravan Shukla Panchami.

In some regions the day is also linked with Krishna's victory over the serpent Kaliya, who had poisoned a pool of the Yamuna at Vrindavan. Krishna danced on Kaliya's hoods until the serpent surrendered, and then — instead of killing him — sent him away to the ocean, unharmed.

A folk story told in many homes is of a farmer who killed a nest of young snakes with his plough. The mother serpent took revenge on his family, until his devoted daughter worshipped her with milk and flowers and begged forgiveness; the serpent, moved, restored the family to life. The story explains why no digging or ploughing is done, and why women pray to the Nagas for their brothers and children.

Nag Panchami puja vidhi, step by step

A simple Nag Panchami puja for home. Please worship images, Naga stones or anthills — never captured live snakes, which are harmed by being handled and fed milk.

What you need

• An image of the Nagas drawn with turmeric, sandal or cow-dung on the wall or floor, a silver or clay Naga, or a Naga stone at a temple
• Milk mixed with water, turmeric, kumkum, akshat and flowers
• A ghee diya and incense
• Durva grass, and lotus or other flowers
• Naivedya: kheer, soaked chana or moong, puffed rice and sweets (many homes cook no fried food on this day)

When to do the puja

Nag Panchami in 2027 falls on Friday, 6 August (Shravan Shukla Panchami). The puja is done in the morning. In Gujarat Nag Pancham falls in the dark half of the month, a few days before Janmashtami. Check the Panchang for your city. See the Panchang for your city.

Steps

1. Morning. Bathe, clean the house and draw the Nagas — often five or nine serpents — with turmeric or sandal paste beside the door or on the puja wall.
2. Sankalp. Many women keep a fast until noon or all day, praying for the safety of their brothers and children from snakebite and harm.
3. Worship. Offer water and a little milk to the image or Naga stone, apply turmeric and kumkum, and offer akshat, durva and flowers. Light the diya and incense.
4. Chant. Recite the nine names of the great Nagas (Navanaga stotra) and 'Om Namah Shivaya', since the Nagas are Shiva's ornaments.
5. Naivedya. Offer kheer and soaked grains. Hear or tell the Nag Panchami katha.
6. Respect for living snakes. Do not dig or plough, and never harm a snake. If one enters a home, call a trained rescuer rather than killing it — in the spirit of the festival.

Offerings & food: Milk, water, flowers (especially lotus), rice, turmeric; sweet dish — kheer

Mantras for Nag Panchami

Nag Panchami across India

Nagchandreshwar shrine at Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain (opens only on this day), Nagaraja temples and serpent groves of Kerala, Nagara Panchami in Karnataka, Battis Shirala in Maharashtra (live-cobra procession now stopped under wildlife law)

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)

The Nagchandreshwar shrine on the top floor of the Mahakaleshwar temple, with its image of Shiva and Parvati seated on a serpent, opens for darshan only once a year, on Nag Panchami.

Maharashtra

Women draw Nagas on walls, sing Nag Panchami songs and swing on jhulas. Battis Shirala in Sangli district was famous for its procession of captured live cobras; this has been stopped under wildlife-protection law and the village now worships clay and image Nagas.

Karnataka

On Nagara Panchami sisters pour milk on Naga stones or anthills and pray for their brothers' welfare; brothers give gifts in return, much like Raksha Bandhan.

Kerala

Sacred serpent groves (sarpa kavu) and Nagaraja temples such as Mannarasala and Vetticode are centres of worship; their main festivals fall on the Ayilyam nakshatra, but Nag Panchami offerings are made too.

Bengal and the east

Manasa, the goddess of snakes, is worshipped through the monsoon months, with the Manasa Mangal sung in villages.

Gujarat

Nag Pancham is kept in the dark half of Shravan, three days before Janmashtami, with worship of Naga images and a meal of cold food (cooked the day before) in some families.

Prayers to recite

Do’s and don’ts

Temples to visit for Nag Panchami

Mahakaleshwar TempleUjjain, Madhya PradeshNageshwar JyotirlingaDwarka, Gujarat

Frequently asked questions