Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Religious fervour marks Nagula Chavithi

Photo: S. Rambabu

Hissteria: Devotees offering milk in snakepit in Rajahmundry on the occasion of Nagula Chaviti on Sunday . —

VISAKHAPATNAM: The city wore a festive look as scores of women along with their family members came out on to the street from the early hours on Sunday to offer prayers to the snake God on the occasion of Nagula Chavithi.

While some devotees had celebrated Nagula Chavithi on Saturday, many considered it more appropriate to perform puja at the snake pits before 10 a.m. on Sunday. Snake pits were in great demand in various colonies all over the city with many of them fast disappearing due to the emergence of concrete jungles.

The festival, that comes four days after Deepavali, is celebrated with devotion by Telugus. Women wash the pit area with water, apply turmeric and start the puja. It’s followed by each of the family member pouring milk and putting eggs into the pits. Children and youth light fireworks and burn crackers near the pit.

Scores of devotees were seen at the Railway Hospital, Railway Hostel and Government Polytechnic premises offering prayers. Artificial snake pits sprang up at Allipuram, Dwarakanagar and Neelamma Vepachettu and surprisingly even at places like the Railway Hospital where there were many natural snake pits.

The artificial pits were put up by vested interests to collect the eggs offered to the snakes for resale. Urchin boys and women were seen at some places collecting eggs from the snake pits. People also worshipped ‘Naga bandhams’ (idols of two cobras twisted in a coil with their heads popping out) at Dondaparthy and at Shri Shirdi Sai Spiritual Centre at Seethammadhara. Sepentine queues are formed at many places. Crowds were seen at temples of Lord Sri Subrahmanya Swamy.

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