Mussoorie: Nag Panchami is being celebrated with great enthusiasm at the over 500-year-old Nag Mandir in Mussoorie, often referred to as the “Queen of the Hills.” Thousands of devotees from Mussoorie and nearby areas visited the temple to offer milk to the ancient idol of Nag Deity. The villagers consider Nag deity their family deity and believe that sincere prayers at this temple will surely be answered.
The story behind this temple
The Nag Temple in Mussoorie, believed to be around 500 years old, has an intriguing origin. According to local legend, a cow from Bhatta village would visit this spot every morning and offer milk from its udder to a stone. When the villagers discovered this, they were astonished. Upon removing the stone, they found numerous snake idols and witnessed the Nag Deity (Snake God) seated atop them. This place then became known as Siddha Peeth. A grand temple was subsequently built here.
Nag deity: The God of Justice
For local villager Rakesh Rawat, Nag Deity is revered as the Family God. He shared that devotees who sincerely make a wish and take a vow at this temple see their wishes fulfilled. “This deity is the Family God for many families living in dozens of villages in and around the region. He is also known as the God of Justice. Whenever there is a problem or dispute in the village, people seek the blessings of the deity. It is believed that the Snake God delivers justice,” he added.
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People get relief from snakebite and Sarpdoshas
Temple priest Gaurav Uniyal explained that Nag Panchami is celebrated on the Shukla Paksha Panchami Tithi of the month of Sawan. It is believed that worshipping the Snake God on this day brings happiness and peace, and offers protection from snakebites and related afflictions. Today, on Nag Panchami, a large number of devotees visited Lord Nag Devta, performed Jalabhishek on the Shivling, and prayed for the well-being of their families.