# Naga Panchami: Milk for the Snake Guardians

> On a rainy day, Mira and her little brother Kannan curl up on the sofa to find out about Naga Panchami, a day for thanking the snake guardians. They visit stone cobras washed with milk, a quiet garden corner with an evening lamp, and a very old invitation to serpents. Content note: snakes are shown with respect from a safe distance, and treasure-guarding is only a belief.

- Show: [Banyan Stories (Ages 4–8)](https://www.banyanstories.com/ages-4-8/), ages 4–8, English
- Page: https://www.banyanstories.com/ages-4-8/episodes/naga-panchami-milk-for-snakes/
- Audio: https://media.banyanstories.com/media/ep-114/junior/2c84d3665dfc73f7cadc235ac7279c53625526e69c7064046c390956121d74c9/347c569365ecc6cc16668a308ea247705db1ebc791a0fb72f9c0149cb6cffa6f.mp3 (7 min)
- Published: 2026-10-15
- Scare level: 1 of 5. Snakes are honoured gently in festivals; a calm reassurance reminds children to keep a safe distance from real snakes.
- Content note: Gentle festival story; Reminder not to touch real snakes or pour milk at real holes.

## Transcript

Each passage is labelled with the evidence behind it; “Fictional scene” marks the story itself.

Rain was tapping on the window, tap, tap, tap, and Mira and Kannan were curled up on the couch with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn. Outside, the Canadian sky was grey and soft. Inside, it was warm. Mira had a big book open on her knees, and Kannan had a very serious look on his face. It was the look he wore when he was about to ask a big question. Today's story is about a festival called Naga Panchami. A naga is a serpent being, or a snake symbol. Say it with me: NAA-guh. Settle in, and let's go and see how families say thank you to the snake guardians. *(Fictional scene)*

"Why is there a picture of a cobra in your book?" asked Kannan. "Because today is a snake festival day, in some places," said Mira. "Come and look. I will tell you what I found." Kannan scooted closer. He loved a good mystery, and he loved noticing small details. He tapped the page and whispered, "Is it a friendly snake?" Mira smiled. "In this story, the snakes are guardians. Let me show you." *(Fictional scene)*

Far away in a place called Malabar, in the south of India, many towns and villages have special stones. Each stone has a cobra carved on it. The stones sit on little platforms, or at the bottom of a holy fig tree, with its big, wide leaves. On the fifth day of the month of Shravana, a day called Nagarapanchami, people wash the stones. Then they pour milk over them, and curds, and ghee, and coconut water. Splash, drip, glimmer! After that, they decorate the stones with flowers and give them offerings. It is a bit like giving a very special bath to a dear friend. *(Supported)*

Mira turned the page. "Look at this," she said. In Malabar, families who had a big house often kept one special corner of the garden just for snakes. Granite cobra stones stood on a platform under wild trees. Every evening, someone lit a little lamp there, and the light flickered softly between the leaves. People offered eggs, and milk, and plantains. Some say a wise teacher named Parasurama advised that part of every house be kept for snakes. That is how the tradition tells it. So the snakes had a place of their own, like a tiny garden room. *(Supported)*

"Do people ever hurt the snakes?" asked Kannan, hugging a cushion. "In Malabar, it is believed that killing a snake is a very serious wrong," said Mira. "Pious families are said to give a snake that has died a respectful farewell, with silk and sandalwood. It shows how much they honour snakes." Kannan nodded slowly. "That is kind," he said. "But a real snake should still be left alone, right?" "Always," said Mira. "Always." *(Supported)*

In another part of southern India, the Telugu country, some women called Boya women fast on the snake festival, and they pour milk into the holes of ant-hills. Why ant-hills? Because the ant-hill is said to be a favourite home of the cobra. And in some Lingayat communities, on Nagarapanchami, people make a snake from earth and worship it with milk, rice, coconuts and flowers. Here is something very important, though. Those are customs for grown-ups in their own communities. We never pour milk into real snake holes, and we never go looking for snakes. *(Supported)*

Mira found something even older. Long ago, a book of home rituals describes a water offering. In it, many beings are invited to be happy and satisfied: fire and wind, the sun, rivers, mountains, fields, herbs and trees. And right there in the list are the serpents! The same book talks about offerings in the rainy season, and about the full moon of Sravana. People asked that the seasons be friendly and safe. Mira smiled. "So honouring snakes goes back a very long way," she said. The rains were important, and people wanted them to be kind. *(Supported)*

"Why snakes and the rainy season?" asked Kannan. Mira found a little note in the margin. In old times, during the rainy months, people did not sleep on the ground. They slept on high beds, because snakes might come near when the ground was wet. Afterwards, they went back to sleeping on the ground. "So they were being careful and respectful," said Kannan. "Exactly," said Mira. "Respect and care, together." *(Supported)*

Kannan's eyes got round. "Mira, do snakes guard treasure?" Mira laughed softly. "In Malabar, some people believe they do. It is only a belief, a story, not something anyone has proved. They say snakes visit hidden gold, and treasure-seekers carry a special wooden staff, hoping the guarding snakes will move away." Kannan grinned. "A story about golden treasure and snake guards. I like it!" He pretended to hold a staff and tiptoed across the rug, very quietly, past the popcorn. *(Plausible, not proven)*

Kannan stopped. A small worry crossed his face. "What if I see a real snake?" he asked. Mira put her arm around him. "Then you stay calm, you stay far away, and you tell a grown-up. That is all. Snakes mostly want to be left alone. The festival is about saying thank you and being respectful, not about getting close. You are safe, and you are brave, and you are very good at noticing things." Kannan breathed out and smiled. The rain tapped on, and the blanket was warm. *(Fictional scene)*

Here is a question to talk about together. If you had a special corner of your garden, or a window ledge, for a creature or a plant you wanted to look after, what would you put there? And how could you say thank you to nature when the rain comes? Take a moment, and share your ideas with someone near you. *(Fictional scene)*

Mira closed her book. Kannan yawned a big, sleepy yawn. Outside, the rain softened into a hush. "Happy Naga Panchami," he whispered. "Happy Naga Panchami," said Mira. And somewhere, far away, a lamp glowed under the leaves. Thanks for listening. Sleep well, and see you next time. *(Fictional scene)*

## Sources

- [Sankhayana-Grihya-Sutra, in The Grihya-Sutras Part I (Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXIX)](https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul01oldeuoft), Hermann Oldenberg (translator); F. Max Muller (ed.). Supported: The household ritual text ties offerings to the rainy season and to the full moon of Sravana, asking that the seasons be friendly and safe.
- [Sankhayana-Grihya-Sutra, in The Grihya-Sutras Part I (Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXIX)](https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul01oldeuoft), Hermann Oldenberg (translator); F. Max Muller (ed.). Supported: An early household ritual text includes a water-offering inviting many beings, including serpents, to be satisfied, so serpents are among the beings honoured in that rite.
- [Sankhayana-Grihya-Sutra, in The Grihya-Sutras Part I (Sacred Books of the East, vol. XXIX)](https://archive.org/details/grihyastrasrul01oldeuoft), Hermann Oldenberg (translator); F. Max Muller (ed.). Supported: Translator's notes say that, according to Narayana, from Sravani until Agrahayani people did not sleep on the ground for fear of snakes. They slept on high bedsteads and went back to the ground afterwards.
- [Omens and Superstitions of Southern India](https://archive.org/details/omenssuperstitio00thur), Edgar Thurston. Supported: In Malabar, killing a snake is considered a grievous sin. Pious families are reported to give a dead snake a funeral with silk and sandalwood.
- [Omens and Superstitions of Southern India](https://archive.org/details/omenssuperstitio00thur), Edgar Thurston. Supported: In Malabar, a corner of the garden of respectable family houses was set aside for snakes. Granite cobra stones stood on a platform under wild trees, a lamp was lit each evening, and eggs, milk and plantains were offered. Tradition credits Parasurama with advising that part of every house be kept for snakes.
- [Omens and Superstitions of Southern India](https://archive.org/details/omenssuperstitio00thur), Edgar Thurston. Supported: In Malabar, towns and villages have cobra images carved on stone, set on platforms or at the base of a holy fig tree. On Nagarapanchami, the fifth day of the lunar month Shravana, the stones are washed, milk, curds, ghee and coconut water are poured over them, and they are decorated with flowers and given offerings.
- [Omens and Superstitions of Southern India](https://archive.org/details/omenssuperstitio00thur), Edgar Thurston. Plausible, not proven: In Malabar it is believed that snakes guard hidden treasure. The source presents this as belief, not fact.
- [Omens and Superstitions of Southern India](https://archive.org/details/omenssuperstitio00thur), Edgar Thurston. Supported: In the Telugu country, Boya women fast and pour milk into ant-hill holes at the snake festival. The ant-hill is described as a favourite home of the cobra. On Nagarapanchami, Lingayats worship a snake image made of earth with offerings of milk, rice, coconuts and flowers.