Nag Panchami 2016: Importance & Significance of the auspicious festival!

Why is Nag Panchami celebrated?

Nag Panchami festival is celebrated on August 7 and it usually falls on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar day in the month of Sravana during the monsoon season. This auspicious festival is also called as Garuda Panchami which means a royal eagle is the enemy of the snake. Worshiping Garuda will always protect the devotees from all snakes. ALSO READ: Nag Panchami 2016 Puja Vidhi: Know the Auspicious timings and Puja Muhurat of Nag Panchami festival

It is said that people all over the world celebrate Nag Panchami as this day was the victory of Lord Krishna over Kaliya who was basically a huge black serpent that was killed by Krishna in the Yamuna river. The story is called as the “Kaliya Mardan”.  Nag Panchami falls in the month of July or August and in 2016 it will be celebrated on August 7. Nag Panchami is celebrated after two days of hariyali Teej which is a day where women pray for the well-being of their brothers and other family members.

Although there are several serpent Gods, following twelve are worshiped during Nag Panchami Puja –

1. Ananta
2. Vasuki
3. Shesha
4. Padma
5. Kambala
6. Karkotaka
7. Ashvatara
8. Dhritarashtra
9. Shankhapala
10. Kaliya
11. Takshaka
12. Pingala

Other popular areas of worship during the Nag Panchami include:

* Adiesha Temple in Andhra Pradesh
* Nagaraja Temple in Kerala
* Nagathamman Temple in Chennai
* Hardevja Temple in Jaipur.

The festival celebrates during the rainy months. Nag Panchami observed on the Shukla Paksha Panchami during Shravan month is highly propitious.