KATHMANDU: The Hindu festival of Nagpanchami is being observed across Nepal today, with devotees worshipping the Nag (serpent deity) and pasting serpent images on their doorways in a time-honored tradition meant to ward off misfortune.

Celebrated on the fifth day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Shrawan according to the lunar calendar, Nagpanchami holds profound religious and cultural significance. The festival is rooted in ancient Vedic beliefs, where serpents were revered as powerful and divine beings.

As part of the celebration, families paste images of serpents above the entrances of their homes, a practice believed to protect against snake and scorpion bites, as well as natural calamities like fire and lightning. Offerings of milk, rice grains, flowers, and darbha grass are made to the serpent deities in households and temples alike.

Temples dedicated to serpent gods—especially Nagpokhari in Naxal, Taudaha in Kirtipur, and Nagdaha in Lalitpur—attract large crowds of devotees. People light oil lamps and perform special pujas to seek blessings for health, prosperity, and protection.

Beyond its spiritual importance, Nagpanchami also symbolizes human harmony with nature, especially animals and deities linked to rain and the monsoon season. The festival reflects deep ecological and cultural values embedded in Nepalese society.