Naag Panchami: Nepal's Festival of the Nagas

Naag Panchami is a Hindu festival that honours the Nagas — the serpent deities of Hindu tradition. Falling in the heart of the monsoon, it is a day when Nepali families turn to the snake gods for protection and blessing, pasting images of serpents above their doorways and offering milk in their worship.

The short answer

Naag Panchami is the Hindu festival of the snake gods. It falls in the lunar month of Shrawan (July–August), on the fifth day of the waxing moon — the date moves each year, so check the current date. People paste images of Nagas above the main door of the home and offer milk to the serpent deities.

What Naag Panchami is and the naga deities

The festival is dedicated to the Nagas, serpent deities who hold an important place in Hindu belief. They are associated with water, rain and fertility, and are regarded as guardians of springs, ponds and the underworld. Honouring them is both an act of devotion and a request for protection — especially from snakes, which become more active during the wet monsoon months. Naag Panchami is one of the many observances in the wider cycle of Hindu festivals of Nepal.

How it is observed

The most visible custom is the pasting of a picture or image of the Nagas above the main door of the house, where it stays as a protective emblem. Families then make offerings to the serpent deities — pouring or setting out milk, along with rice, flowers and incense. Worship may take place at home, at temples, or at ponds and water sources linked to the Nagas. It is a quieter, more domestic festival than the great public celebrations, centred on the household and its protection.

When it falls

Naag Panchami takes place in the lunar month of Shrawan, usually July or August, on the fifth day (panchami) of the waxing moon. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the date shifts from year to year — always check the current date before planning around it. It falls in the same monsoon season as Janai Purnima, and you can see how it fits the wider year in our festival calendar of Nepal.

Where in Nepal

The festival is observed across Hindu households throughout Nepal, from the Kathmandu Valley to towns and villages across the country. Worship gathers at temples and at ponds and water bodies associated with the Nagas, where devotees come to make their offerings. If you are exploring the country's sacred sites, our guides to the Hindu temples of Nepal and to festivals such as Teej and Maha Shivaratri at Pashupatinath round out the picture of Nepal's devotional calendar.