'India not for beginners': Internet erupts with videos of devotees parading with snakes around their necks during Nag Panchami mela

If you thought you'd seen everything India had to offer, think again. At the heart of Bihar’s Samastipur district, a surreal yet sacred ritual played out this week that would leave many wide-eyed, or running the other way.

During the annual Nag Panchami fair at Singhia Ghat, hundreds of devotees walked through the crowds with live snakes draped around their necks, coiled around their arms, or even casually balanced on their heads.

The celebrations kicked off with prayers at the Maa Bhagwati temple in Singhia Bazaar before the devotees made their way to the banks of the Budhi Gandak river. From young boys to elderly men, each participant proudly held a snake, treating it not as a threat but as a divine symbol.

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Videos from the fair show families moving together through the thick crowd, their snakes slithering calmly on wooden sticks or nestled on their shoulders. Some were even seen performing jaw-dropping stunts, including catching snakes with their mouths, as part of the traditional ritual.

The festival, which has been celebrated for over a hundred years, draws people from across the Mithila region, from Khagaria to Saharsa, Begusarai to Muzaffarpur. According to locals, this isn’t just a display of devotion – it’s a deeply-rooted cultural inheritance passed down through generations.

At its spiritual core lies the worship of Mata Vishhari, the local snake goddess. Devotees chant her name and offer prayers before releasing the snakes into nearby forested areas.

While the public procession may steal the spotlight, a quieter, more intimate ritual unfolds elsewhere. Inside Gahvars, sacred groves or enclosures, women gather to perform special pujas, praying to Nag Devta for fertility, good health, and family protection. If their wishes are fulfilled, they return the next year with Jhaap and prasad as a token of gratitude.

Despite the potential risks of handling wild snakes, local reports confirm that no snakebite incidents or injuries were recorded.

Inputs from agencies