Nag Panchami, on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of Shravana, honors the nagas — the serpent beings woven through Sanatani cosmology: Shesha, on whose coils Vishnu rests; Vasuki, the churning-rope of the ocean; Kaliya, whom Krishna subdued and spared. Falling in the monsoon, when serpents leave flooded burrows and enter human space, the day turns a seasonal encounter into a relationship of respect.

The festival's instinct is characteristic of the tradition: what is powerful and dangerous is not demonized but given a place, a day, and an offering.

Key facts

• Dates: August 17th, 2026
• Ruling deities: Nag Devta, Shesha
• Fasting: phalahar

How it is observed

• Household puja to naga images — drawn on the wall with turmeric and rice-paste in many regions, or worshipped as silver or clay images — with offerings of milk, turmeric, kusha grass, and flowers.
• Prayers for the household's protection from serpent harm, and in many communities for the well-being of brothers — the day carries a sibling-blessing thread in several regions.
• Visits to naga shrines and anthills sacred to serpent deities, especially in the South and in Maharashtra.
• Digging, ploughing, and cutting the earth are traditionally paused for the day — the ground is left to its other inhabitants.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• The Living Library of Sanatan Dharma: A Guide to the Hindu Scriptures, Their Origins, and Why They Still Matter
• Karma and Rebirth: Sanchita, Prarabdha, Kriyamana — The Three-Part System That Resolves Fate and Free Will
• Today's Panchang

Plan Nag Panchami with Purohit Ji

Purohit Ji grounds the observance in your own city and Panchang — timings, vidhi, and what to prepare, answered for your home rather than in general.