The festival of Nag Panchmi is celebrated by feeding milk to children, instead of snakes, by Shivamoga’s Basava Kendra.
Nag Panchami 2019 | Devotees across India are celebrating the festival of Nag Panchami which is dedicated to the worship of serpents. Immensely significant in Hindu mythology, Nag Panchami falls on the month of Shravan according to the Hindu calendar. The festival is celebrated by offering snakes milk, rice, and flowers in return for their blessings.
According to beliefs, Lord Krishna after defeating Kalia, a poisonous snake, had blessed him saying whosoever offered milk and prayers to snakes on this day will be relieved of all troubles and sins.
However, even though people offer milk to snakes on this day, it is not actually very good idea. According to a report published in ANI, Basava Kendra in Shivamoga, Karnataka on Saturday held an awareness programme on effects of offering milk to snakes with the aim of sensitising public on the importance of milk and the harmful effects of it on snakes.
At the programme, awareness was spread by feeding milk to children instead of snakes.
Speaking to ANI, Basava Marula Sidda, head of Basava Kendra in Shivamoga said that while Naga Panchami is part of worshipping nature, offering milk to snakes is unscientific because snakes are reptiles and milk may affect their eyes.
