| City | Date | Purvahna (morning) Puja time | Tithi (local) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manama Arabia Standard Time (AST) | Monday, August 17, 2026 | 5:11 AM – 10:23 AM AST | Aug 16, 2:23 PM → Aug 17, 2:31 PM AST |
Timings are local. Tithi = begin → end of the festival's tithi in that city.
Shravana Shukla Panchami at local sunrise; if it lasts less than 3 muhurtas after that sunrise, the previous day (when Panchami prevails at midday) is taken.
The Naga in Indian culture is the guardian of water, land and farming, the garland on Shiva's neck, the bed of Vishnu, the sacred thread of Ganesha — feared yet worshipped; snakes come out of the ground in Sawan, hence the spirit of 'let there be no enmity' through the milk offering — in practice do not kill a snake, keep a respectful distance; feeding milk is not in the animal's interest — offer it symbolically to a clay/drawn serpent.
Skanda/Garuda Purana: Naga worship on Panchami frees seven generations from the fear of snakes; the day for pacifying the Kaal Sarp dosha and Rahu-Ketu of the birth chart — offering a pair of silver/copper serpents at a Shiva temple, Rudrabhishek; the Naga mantras 'Om Namah Shivaya' and 'Sarve nagah priyantam me…'.
In some parts of Gujarat-Rajasthan Nag Panchami falls on a Krishna Panchami — in Gujarat on Amanta Shravana Krishna (Vad) Panchami (Bhadrapada Krishna Panchami by the Purnimanta reckoning, after Raksha Bandhan), in the rest of India on Shukla Panchami; Karnataka-Maharashtra-the south also on Shukla Panchami; in Bengal Manasa Devi (the serpent mother) is worshipped through Shravana, especially on the Sankranti.
Yes — Monday, August 17, 2026.
Purvahna (morning) Puja time: 5:11 AM to 10:23 AM (AST). Other cities are in the table above.
Each row is in that city's own local time (Arabia Standard Time (AST) for Manama).
No — snakes cannot digest milk, snake charmers' snakes die from it, and it is illegal under the Wildlife Act. The scriptural milk offering to the 'Naga deity' — do it on a clay/drawn/silver serpent or the serpent on a Shivalinga; respect a live snake from a distance.
Folk belief — the iron griddle symbolises the serpent's hood, iron on fire = suffering for the serpent; hence steamed, boiled or kadhai dishes (dal-baati, poori, dinde, kheer); many homes even avoid poori-paratha on the griddle, some avoid only roti — your household custom.
Nag Panchami is the best day for pacifying Kaal Sarp/Rahu-Ketu — offer a pair of silver/copper serpents on the Shivalinga at a Shiva temple, Rudrabhishek, 'Om Namah Shivaya'/Mahamrityunjaya japa, the Naga stotra; special puja at Trimbakeshwar-Ujjain; first check whether the dosha exists in the chart (dosha report/priest).
In Karnataka's 'Nagara Panchami' the sister pours milk and turmeric on the brother's back/navel — the Naga's protection for the brother and the wish for his children; the brother gives the sister a gift — a brother-sister festival before Raksha Bandhan.