Tuesday 18 August 2015

Nag Panchami –The Amazing Story

Naag Panchami - Festival of India
Although the celebration of Naag Panchami is a Hindu occasion where thousands of people take part across the entirety of the country, the concept is worldwide. In India during the fifth day of the Bright moon phase during the month of Shravan, which coincides with a period during July-August, the Snake is venerated all over. There is a certain amount of confusion as to when and where this festival stated in ancient India. However there are innumerable tales that state that people of ancient India always revered the snake in many ways. Some believe that it is in honour of Seshnag the six headed serpent who acts as a vehicle for the Hindu god Vishnu, the preserver of life.

Indian Cobra
Some conclude that this started from the practices of the Ancient tribe called Naagas who inhabited Indian in ancient times and actively worshiped snakes, from whom this custom spread to the rest of India. There is also a considerable mention of this worship in ancient Hindu texts such as the Puranas and certain Shastras. One can even find means and methods of worship to propitiate the Snake Devatas or Gods and their respective Mantras and procedures etc. one can find ample evidence in the hundreds and thousands of exquisite stone carvings on the various temples. One thing is certain that people from Ancient Indian believed so strongly in the concept that they left their evidence in these stone carvings for the future generations.

Nag Devta
However it would be wrong to think that the concept of Snake Worship is only peculiar to India, the belief is worldwide. One can read on the internet about this on the many sites online and conclude that there is no doubt that the ancient civilizations wee replete with stories of snake gods in one form or the other. Lets us take a brief look at some of them:

AFRICA:  at a place in Africa called Whydah one of the important centres of snake worship there are fifty snakes, all Pythons. In African mythology there is a god named Ashanti who is represented in the form of a snake and a white Boa is sacred from this point of view.

ANCIENT EGYPT:  the ancient Egyptians very actively worshiped snakes in many godly forms. Where the Cobra was clearly linked to their god RA, there were other snake gods as well. The patron goddess of Upper Egypt was Wadjet who is represented by a Cobra Headed woman.


YMESOPOTAMIA & SUMERIA: the ancient Mesopotamians believed that snakes are immortal as they remained in youth forever since they shed their skin regularly. The early Sumerians believed in a god called Ningishazida before the arrival of the venerated Gilgamesh. In Syria one can see a temple in the northern part of the country where there is a bronze statue holding a serpent like staff in his hand.

EUROPE: In ancient Italy there is the goddess Angita who represents snakes. Before the advent of Christianity there was this Prussian god Potrimpus in whose honor a snake was fed milk.  Who doesn't know the most important symbol of modern times the symbol of Medical Emergency which is denoted by staff around which two snakes are entwined? It is Asclepius, the son of Apollo and Koronis, who immortalized this in the history of mankind.


AUSTRALIA: old tales abound all over aboriginal myths about a serpent they call the Rainbow serpent. In various parts of Australia people call it by different names, but the concept is all too familiar.

CENTRAL AMERICA: the Mayan culture revered the God Kukulkan while the ancient Aztecs called their Serpent God Quetzalcoatl.

All those who may have seen the top serial on History Channel called Ancient Aliens would have seen so many of the segments devoted to this unique aspect of world history.




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