Although the exact origins of the festival are not precisely known, there is evidence suggesting that this festival started from the Indus Valley civilization around 3000 BCE. The custom of worshiping snakes began with the ‘Naga’ tribe, a highly developed tribe residing in India. It is believed that the milk you offer to the snakes will eventually reach the serpent deity, who will bless you with health and happiness.
People give milk to the snakes.
This festival attracts the attention of thousands of devotees and tourists every year. It is also an occasion where people can see and interact with the largest number of snakes in India. People will carry large snakes in a parade around the festival. Surrounding them is a crowd of devotees and the loud sounds of drums and music.
Traditional Snake Worship Festival
Children will sit in temples in Allahabad and cities across the country, with large snakes coiled around their necks. For the Indian people, who revere snakes, these are sacred animals, and they are believed to be blessed by the serpent deity. Therefore, no one feels afraid when interacting with these reptiles.
Indians, who revere snakes, consider them sacred animals and believe they are blessed by the serpent deity.
Another ritual performed during this occasion is giving milk to the snakes, feeding them sweets, and showering them with flowers. Through this, people want to express their devotion to the serpent deity, Nag Devata, and hope that this deity will fulfill all their wishes.
Visitors will also see many snake catchers and snake charmers at the festival. They use flutes to control the snakes, which are often highly venomous cobras. These snakes are kept in bamboo or earthen baskets. Snake charmers say that they only earn $3 a day from tourists when they control snakes beside tombs, temples, or on the streets. This amount is not enough to take care of the snakes, let alone support their families. Therefore, during the snake festival, snake charmers will sell the snakes if tourists or locals offer a high price.
The Naga Panchami festival takes place on the fifth day of the month of Kindu (around July or August according to the Gregorian calendar). This is a sacred time for Indians. In 2017, up to 800,000 snake charmers and their descendants participated in Naga Panchami festivals across India. This activity of honoring snakes has faced strong opposition from the animal protection organization PETA. Members of the organization criticize the use of live snakes, confining them in suffocating bags, and forcing them to drink milk as cruel actions.
PETA also calls for India to cancel the festival or use fake snakes instead of live ones to minimize the number of snakes being captured, killed, or the number of people being bitten during the festivals. However, this has not received support from the Indian people. “We don’t know what else to do,” said Vikas Penna, a long-time snake charmer. “What do you want us to do, quit and become rickshaw pullers?”