(July 18, 2022)
Shravan Krishna Panchami is celebrated as Nagpanchami in some regions of India including Rajasthan. There is a law to worship snakes on this day. On this day, Bambi is worshiped by observing a fast and milk is offered to the snake. The snake charmer is given charity. On the day of Nagpanchami, measures are taken to get rid of Kaal Sarpayoga.
Fasting Story
In ancient times, a Brahmin had seven sons and daughters-in-law. In the month of Shravan, six of them went to their maternal home with their brothers, but the seventh daughter-in-law had no brothers, so no one came to take her to her maternal home. Disappointed, he remembered Sheshnag as his brother. Seeing his agony, Sheshnag took the form of an old Brahmin and came to his place and took him away. On going further, he appeared in his real form and took the seventh daughter-in-law on his hood and took him to Nagaloka. There she started living peacefully. During this time many children of serpents were born in Sheshnag. By mistake, the seventh daughter-in-law lost a lamp from her hands and the tail of one of the snake's children was cut off from her. After some time the seventh daughter-in-law returned to her in-laws' house. The next year, when the month of Shravan came again, the six daughters-in-law along with their brothers went to their respective homes, but the seventh daughter-in-law again started remembering Sheshnag.
On the day of Shravan Shukla Panchami, he worshiped the snake as a deity. Some serpents were angry with the seventh daughter-in-law because of cutting off the tail of the snake and they came to her house the same day to take revenge on her. When the serpents saw the seventh daughter-in-law worshiping the serpent god, their anger dissipated and they began to treat her as their sister. While staying there, he accepted the offerings of milk and rice from his sister and blessed her to be fearless from the serpents. On the way, he said that 'today, on the day of Shravan Shukla Panchami, we will protect the women who worship us as brothers.'