KATHMANDU: Despite the ongoing pandemic, people in most of the parts of the country are observing Naag Panchami today.

It is believed that this day onwards, rain will gradually subside to bring sunnier days.

Naag Panchami is the festivity which is marked on Shrawan Shukla Panchami (fifth day of the moonlit-fortnight) according to the lunar calendar.

Today, Hindus worship the snake deity by offering cow’s milk, ghee, barley, sesame and nuts, and paste the images of snakes at the entrances of their houses and rooms, accompanied by chanting of mantras. The image is believed to protect people throughout the year.

In Hinduism, snakes are considered a symbol of luck and protector against the evil.

A devotee offers milk to the statue of the snake deity 'Naag' during Naag Panchami festival, in Bhaktapur, on Saturday, July 25, 2020. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT