A traditional religious festival was held this week at Singhia Ghat in Samastipur district, Bihar, to mark Nag Panchami. Hundreds of devotees took part carrying snakes.

The festival began with worship at the Maa Bhagwati temple in Singhia Bazar. Devotees then gathered on the bank of the Burhi Gandak river. From small children to the elderly, almost everyone was carrying a snake in some way.

Videos circulating on social media show family members taking part with snakes wrapped around their bodies.

People from various districts of the Mithila region, such as Khagaria, Saharsa, Begusarai and Muzaffarpur, took part. Locals say the tradition is a hundred years old and has been passed down through generations.

Women also performed a special puja to the snake deity at a place called Gahbar, praying for the health and safety of their families.

According to local sources, no snakebites or accidents were reported at the festival this year. The report is based on NDTV.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.