Key Takeaways:

• Festival observed on Shrawan Shukla Panchami, falling on Bhadra 1 this year
• Devotees paste Naga images at entrances and offer milk, rice, kheer, roti
• Worship performed at Naga Pokhari, Taudaha, Siddha Pokhari and other sites
• Tradition links serpent worship to rainfall, protection from hazards, harmony

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 17 Nepal's main Hindu festival season gets under way with Nag Panchami, as devotees across the country worship serpents at homes, temples and traditional naga sites on Monday. The festival, observed on Shrawan Shukla Panchami, falls on Bhadra 1 this year because of an intercalary month in the Nepali calendar. Devotees traditionally paste images of Nagas above the main entrances of their homes and offer milk, rice, dubo grass, kheer and roti, among other items. The practice is rooted in the belief that worshipping Nagas protects households from snakes and other reptiles, as well as from fire, storms and lightning. Special worship is being performed at Naga Pokhari and Taudaha in Kathmandu, Siddha Pokhari in Bhaktapur and other naga ponds, lakes and shrines across the country. Religious scholars trace naga worship back to the Vedic period, with the eight principal Nagas-Ananta, Vasuki, Padma, Mahapadma, Takshaka, Kulika, Karkotaka and Shankha-particularly revered. Nag Panchami is also tied to beliefs about rainfall and water. One account holds that displeasing Nagas could bring drought, while serpent worship is believed to invoke rain and protect communities from natural hazards. Traditions include refraining from ploughing fields or killing snakes on the day. Legends associated with the festival include the story of a farmer who killed young snakes while ploughing, prompting their mother to seek revenge before sparing his daughter after she promised to worship her. Nag Panchami marks the start of Nepal's festival season, leading into major celebrations such as Janai Purnima, Teej, Indra Jatra and Dashain.