Scores of Indian devotees took to the streets of Bihar’s Samastipur as a part of the Nag Panchami festivities. The devotees held up snakes in a bid to ward off evil and negate bad karma. Once at the local temple, the men queued up to receive blessings from the snakes as the priests chanted hymns.
Nag Panchami, which falls in the month of July or August, is celebrated by thousands of people across the country. During Nag Panchami, snakes are worshiped and offered milk, sweets and flowers.
However, these snakes are caught two weeks beforehand in order to be paraded as a part of the festivities. Sometimes, these snakes are pulled out from their snake holes using sticks and kept in pots ahead of the procession.
Video Editor: Mohd Ibrahim
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