Shirsi (Karnataka): Rituals for 'Nag Panchami', a Hindu festival celebrated annually around this time of the year for five days, are generally performed either in temples or the people would go to snake charmers to worship snakes across the country but here is a family in the district that worship live snakes at home.
Prashant Hulekal and his family have snakes at home for the past 35 years and they take care of them as members of the family. Every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, the entire family worships the snakes by offering them milk, sweets and flowers.
According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is celebrated after 'Amavasya' or on the new moon night in the month of 'Saavan'.
Chiefly the 'Naga Devta' or Serpent God is worshipped on the occasion.
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