Chhindwara: On Friday, Chhindwara celebrated the Nag (snake) Deepavali, where the snake god is worshipped amidst sparkling lamps and various programmes. This three-decade-old tradition, observed on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha after Dev Deepavali, is synonymous with Chhindwara.
"Nag Deepavali is celebrated on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha. Chhindwara is the only district in Madhya Pradesh where The worship starts from the morning," Anand Bakshi, president of Sant Gajanan Samiti, said.
On the day of worship, women keep fast from morning and pray in the temple. Rangoli of the snake deity is drawn in the evening outside the Gajanan temple. Thousands of lamps are kept on top of the rangoli, which makes the deity look real. "Swayambhu (self-manifested) Nag Devta is seated in the Gajanan Temple to celebrate Deepavali," Bakshi said.
"Nag Deepavali has been celebrated in Sant Gajanan temple for 30 years. Earlier, it was organised in a small format. Now it has assumed a divinely grand attire. Chhindwara is the only district in Madhya Pradesh where Nag Deepavali is celebrated 20 days after Kartik Purnima. However, Nag Deepavali is more popular in Maharashtra," Bakshi added.
It's worthwhile mentioning that the Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) rescued 4,746 snakes and released them into the wild in an attempt to rescue and treat snakes harmed during the Nag Panchami festival.
The society asked people to be aware of snake charmers. If found, they have urged the public to inform them in the numbers -- 8886743881, 9394578568 and 9490149601. The notice also mentioned actions that cause harm to snakes are illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972 and carry strict penalties.
Organisations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will conduct raids to rescue snakes on Naga Panchami. "Since 2005, we have rescued 4,746 snakes during the festival," Soudharm Bhandari, GHSPCA coordinator, said.
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