Nag Panchami 2020: Check out the timings and importance of the festival

Nag Panchami is an important festival in the month of Sawan. This year it will be celebrated on July 25. 

The festival is dedicated to the Naga Devta or the snake god. It is one of the oldest festivals that is celebrated in India, during the Sawan month.

Sawan or Shravan is also considered to be one of the most auspicious month in the Hindu calendar, that corresponds to July-August.

Nag Panchami is also known as Nag Chaturthi or Nagul Chavithi. In Gujarat, Nag Panchami is observed few days after most states and this year it will be observed on August 8. In Andhra Pradesh, the puja is done just after Diwali. 

Nag Panchami 2020 date and timings

Nag Panchami Date: Saturday, 25 July 2020
Puja Muhurat: 05:39 AM to 08:22 AM
Duration: 2 Hours 44 minutes
Panchami Tithi begins at 02:34 PM on Jul 24, 2020
Panchami Tithi ends at-12:02 PM on Jul 25, 2020

Nag Panchami puja and vidhi

The main ritual is offering milk to the Nag Devta or the snake god. Offering milk to snakes is an old tradition in India on panchami tithi and it is said that the ritual keeps evil away. Many also observe fast on that day. Food made with milk as a key ingredient is also offered as prashad to the god. 

People are known to make snake idols with clay at home for puja. Milk, turmeric, kumkum and flowers are used for puja. Flowers and milk are also kept near the burrows and holes where snakes may be found. 

In India, devotees pray to several snake gods on Nag Panchami. Some among them are Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padma, Kambala and Kaliya.