Nag Pancham

Gujarati

नाग पांचम · નાગ પાંચમ

Next date

22 August 2027

Sunday

About

The Gujarati Nag Pancham, serpent worship on Shravan Krishna Panchami (Gujarati calendar), three days before Janmashtami.

Falls on: The Amavasyant/Purnimant split, in plain sight: - Shravana Shukla Panchami, pan-Indian, Maharashtra, most of North India - Shravana Krishna Panchami (Shravan Vad Pancham), Gujarat verified against Gujarati panchangs Same festival, different fortnight, because the two month-naming systems cut the month differently.
Also called: Nagula Chavithi (a different Telugu day), Nag Pancham, Naga Chaturthi

The story

Astika stopped Janamejaya's snake sacrifice on this day, sparing the serpent race. Separately, Krishna subdued Kaliya in the Yamuna and spared him.

How it is observed

Milk offered at snake images, anthills and Naga stones. Snakes are not disturbed, and digging and ploughing are avoided on the day so as not to harm anything underground. Images of nagas are drawn at doorways.

Food

Milk and rice offerings. In Maharashtra, deep-fried nothing, frying and roasting are avoided, since the hearth is associated with the serpent. Steamed dishes instead.

Regional variation

Gujarat's date differs as above. In South India, particularly Karnataka, women worship at Naga stones for the wellbeing of brothers. In Bengal it's Manasa Puja, for the snake goddess Manasa.

Common questions

Why is Nag Pancham on a different day in Gujarat?: Because Gujarat uses the Amavasyant calendar, which ends the month at the new moon, while most of North India uses Purnimant, which ends it at the full moon. So the dark fortnight carries different month labels, and Nag Pancham lands in Shravan Vad in Gujarat and Shravana Shukla elsewhere. Same festival, genuinely different days.
How is Nag Panchami observed in Bengal?: As Manasa Puja, for the snake goddess Manasa. She has her own literature in Bengal, the Manasamangal, about her struggle to be recognised as a goddess. It's more prominent in rural Bengal and in the delta districts than in Kolkata.

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About

The Gujarati Nag Pancham, serpent worship on Shravan Krishna Panchami (Gujarati calendar), three days before Janmashtami.

Falls on

The Amavasyant/Purnimant split, in plain sight: - Shravana Shukla Panchami, pan-Indian, Maharashtra, most of North India - Shravana Krishna Panchami (Shravan Vad Pancham), Gujarat verified against Gujarati panchangs Same festival, different fortnight, because the two month-naming systems cut the month differently.

Also called

Nagula Chavithi (a different Telugu day), Nag Pancham, Naga Chaturthi

Common questions

Why is Nag Pancham on a different day in Gujarat?

Because Gujarat uses the Amavasyant calendar, which ends the month at the new moon, while most of North India uses Purnimant, which ends it at the full moon. So the dark fortnight carries different month labels, and Nag Pancham lands in Shravan Vad in Gujarat and Shravana Shukla elsewhere. Same festival, genuinely different days.

How is Nag Panchami observed in Bengal?

As Manasa Puja, for the snake goddess Manasa. She has her own literature in Bengal, the Manasamangal, about her struggle to be recognised as a goddess. It's more prominent in rural Bengal and in the delta districts than in Kolkata.