Mass hiss-teria! - Worshippers carry hundreds of snakes through Samastipur during centuries old Hindu festival

Hundreds of devotees were seen carrying venomous snakes through the streets of Samastipur in the state of Bihar on Friday in a bizarre annual festival which dates back centuries. 

Mean BML (20 le 11'47") square Typhon (snake worship, scary reptiles, worship of or including reptiles).

The Nag Panchami festival sees devotees gathering snakes from all over the area and carrying them in a mass procession towards a river, releasing them in the water, before taking them to the Serpent-God temple to be worshipped with milk, sweets, and flowers. In a bid to cast away evil karma, believers parade the streets by holding the snakes up in the air.

"On the day of the Nag Panchami, after praying to the Hindu gods, we come here to this river to put in the snakes. They purify themselves with this water and then take the snake out of the water. There are actual blessings and magic happening here,” a devotee said.

According to local media reports, participants have been collecting snakes from all over the district for a fortnight and storing them in pots in anticipation of the procession.

Although snake catching is illegal in India, locals ignore the rules and hold the festival every year in the lunar month of Shravan. At the end of the festival, the snakes are released back into the forest.

The Nag Panchami festival sees spellcasters and their disciples celebrate the victory of the Hindu God Lord Krishna over the Kaliya Nag (the black cobra).

According to Hindu mythology, the Hindu god Lord Krishna emerged victorious in his encounter with Kaliya Nag, a venomous serpent, after being attacked by Kaliya near the Yamuna River while playing.

Recognizing Krishna's divine nature, the snake and his wives pleaded for mercy. Upon their pledge to cease troubling the inhabitants of Gokul, Krishna spared their lives. Nag Panchami is commemorated to honour Krishna's triumph over Kaliya Nag.

The ritual is believed to help chase away evil and nullify bad karma. Nag Panchami is celebrated by thousands of people across the country.

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Source: ruptly.tv/