in “olden times;” the reader will, perhaps, be surprised to hear that it lingers still
throughout the peninsula. Dr. Balfour, who had an intimate acquaintance with
the habits and customs of the natives, asserts that the worship both of the
sculptured form and the living creature, is general. The sculpture invariably
represents the Nag or Cobra, and almost every hamlet owns its Serpent deity.
Sometimes it is a single snake, with the hood spread open. Occasionally the
sculptured figures are nine in number, forming the Nao Nag, which is designed
to represent a parent snake and eight of its young, but the prevalent form is that
of two snakes twining in the manner of the Esculapian rod of classical antiquity.
It is the opinion of some Hindus that the living snake is not worshipped as a
devata, or deity, but simply reverenced in commemoration of some ancient event
—possibly of some astronomical occurrences. Others, however, distinctly assert
that it is worshipped as a devata. However this may be, there can be no doubt
that the living snake is worshipped throughout all Southern India. On their feast
days the worshippers resort to the snake’s lair, which they bedaub with
vermilion streaks and patches of turmeric and of wheat flour, and close at hand
they suspend garlands of flowers, strung upon white cotton thread, and laid over
wooden frames. During the rainy seasons occurs the great Nagpanchanic
festival, when the Hindus go in search of snakes, or have them brought to their
houses by the Sanpeli, the snake-charmers who ensnare them. The snakes are
then worshipped, and offerings of milk are made to them, and in almost every
house figures of snakes, drawn on paper, are affixed to the walls, and
worshipped. Those who visit the snakes’ abodes, or tents, plant sticks around the
hole, and about and over these sticks wind white cotton thread. A bevy of
Mahrathi women repair to the hût, and joining hands, wind round it in a circle
five times, singing songs; after which they prostrate themselves. They pour milk
into the hole; hang festoons of Chembela flowers and cucumber fruit, and
sprinkle a mixture of sugar and flour.
In reference to this festival, Colonel Meadows Taylor writes:—
On this occasion, Nags or Cobras are worshipped by most of the lower classes of
the people in the Dekhan, and more particularly in the Shorapore country. The
ceremonies are very simple: the worshippers bathe, smear their foreheads with
red colour, and in small parties,—generally families acquainted with one
another,—resort to the places known to be frequented by snakes. In such places
there are generally sacred stones, to which various offerings are made, and they
are anointed with red colour and ground turmeric, and invocations are addressed
to the local genius and to the serpents. Near the stones are placed small new