Nagula Chavithi, an auspicious festival honoring the serpent deities (Nag Devatas), is celebrated on the fourth day after Deepavali Amavasya in Karthika Masam, a holy month in the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, the festival falls on November 5, 2024. The occasion holds particular importance for married women, who conduct rituals on this day to seek blessings for their children’s well-being and long life. Observed widely across India, Nagula Chavithi is especially significant in Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka. Devotees gather to worship and honor the Nag Devatas, seeing this as a day to secure protection and prosperity for their families.
Nagula Chavithi holds deep spiritual and cultural significance, as snakes are traditionally revered as water guardians in Hinduism. Worshiping the serpent gods on this day is believed to bring health, fertility, and safety from misfortune. Many consider it a way to protect against illness and bless children, while in agricultural regions of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the festival aligns with local farming cycles. Here, devotees believe that honoring the Nag Devatas will safeguard crops and livestock, as well as promote family welfare, reflecting the close relationship between nature, agriculture, and spiritual practices in these communities.
On Nagula Chavithi, rituals are performed with great devotion, especially by married women, who often fast and pray for their family’s prosperity. Key rituals include crafting idols of the Nag Devatas from clay or silver and placing them at altars or near anthills to offer milk, turmeric, flowers, and sometimes sweets. Special pujas and prayers are held in temples dedicated to the Nag Devatas, where devotees gather in community worship. This day is also marked by an emphasis on protecting snakes and reinforcing harmony with nature, as harming these revered creatures is strictly avoided. Through these traditions, Nagula Chavithi fosters cultural unity and strengthens the bond between people, spirituality, and nature.
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