Part 5.2.5 - The Naga Panchami festival

[Full title: Calendric Festivals of the Nepalese of Sonitpur District of Assam (5) Naga Panchami]

Nagpanchami puja is performed to worship the Snake Goddess. It is one of the folk festivals of Assam. The festival is observed during the Sukla panchami of Saun (in the month of July-August). The Nepalese observe this day as very auspicious because they believe that observing this puja will help them escape from snake bites and can get rid of their seven generation and there will be no fear of thunderstorm. The Brahmins go to the people’s house and draw some image of snake on the entrance of their house. They use curd, cowdung and durva (a dog's tooth grass) to draw the picture. The people offer some food, money and gifts to the Brahmins. It is believed that from that particular day the winter season starts. Thus, they observe the Nag Panchami rituals.

In Assam, during the Nag Panchami day, people observe the Manasa puja. Here, the devotees offer puja to the snake Goddess Manasa. It is one of the popular folk festivals of lower Assam. In that puja devotees sometime offer goat, pigeon, duck, as sacrifice to Goddess Manasa. Ojapali is the main performing art of Manasa puja. The oja chants the Manasa Purana by singing and the Palis repeat the same and accompany the oja.