Summary:
Though Nagara Panchami is traditionally associated with the worship of snakes, activists say the practice of using live snakes for pujas has dwindled in and around Bengaluru over the past decade. “Because of the tremendous awareness about the issue, calls about snakes being used in pujas have reduced. Now, we do not get such calls in Bengaluru,” said Sharath Babu, environmentalist and wildlife volunteer with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. The children were told about the importance of snakes in the ecosystem. This question has intrigued both the devout, who offer pujas at snake mounds and offer milk, and activists who believe that such practices during Nagara Panchami are detrimental to the species..