Naga Chaturthi

Naga Chaturthi is  celebrated mostly in Andhra Pradesh,Tamilnadu,Karnataka  - Southern part of India. Aug 3th 2011 is observed as Naga Chaturthi.
 

Naga Chaturthi comes on the fourth day after Adi Ammavasai in the month of Adi. This festival is generally observed by women , praying for the well being and long life of their children.The women have a oil bath. and the entrance of the house cleaned and decorated with kolam.
 
On this day, women folk visit temples where the idols of Serpents are installed, they also visit ant-hills, snake-pits to offer milk - kept in bowls near the snake-pits.
 
It is believed that if a serpent drink the offered milk, then devotees' wishes will come true very soon. Some worshippers draw snake structures on a wooden plank/card board or on the wall and perform pooja with flowers, offer milk, bananas, a special offering called ellurundai (Sesame mixed with Jaggery), Arisi urundai or Thambitu  (rice flour dough mixed with sugar or jaggery).

How to observe Naga Chaturthi?

This vratha/pooja usually performed for Nagaraja. The pooja should be performed by little clean, Sacred, Madi etc., Usually this day is fasting can have only white rawa upma and kesari. Some people avoid salt on the day that means food is consumed without salt. Deep fried things are avoided on the day. Don’t have milk as it on that day(for all people except baby below 1 year). Can have coffee, tea, boost and so.

Things Required :

·        Get nagar in silver

·        Rice for thembittu

·        Jaggery

·        (Ellu)seasame seeds

·        Coconut water

·        Kejavasthra

·        Milk

·        Kadala

·        (Kal uppu)Salt

·        Pepper(melagu

Preparation:

·        Have head bath(no oil bath)

·        Clean the house and decorate the entrance with kolam

·        Put nagaraja in rangoli at pooja room, entrance of the house and near thulasi brindavana as Nagaraja coming to ur house like given below

·       

·        Prepare Thembittu

·        Thembittu is made by soaking rice for an hour or so. Draining all the water and powdering this. After the rice is powdered, add jaggery and blend together or grate the jaggery and mix this well with the rice flour. [if the rice flour is wet or hot, adding jaggery will make it watery, so better grate it and mix].

·        Prepare ellu bella by soaking ellu for some time. Drain water and grind it well and add jaggery.

·        Prepare kejavastra for all nagar u have drawn and today u should add only turmeric to kejavastra no kumkum.

PROCEDURE:

1. Mangala Snaanam

2. Thulasi Pooja

3. Hosthilu Pooje -(Draw a rangoli, apply turmeric and vermilion to the Hostilu)

4. Nagara chauti Pooja 

5. Naivedya

6. Aarathi

7. Thamboola

           Naga Chauti Pooja

·        Get a manai(palagai) draw nagar as above in it and place a silver plate on it.

·        Keep silver nagar u have in it

·        Do a cup and spoon with thembittu u prepared before and place it before nagar.

·        Do abhishek  for nagar and cup with water 3 times, milk (without boiled) 3 times, and again water 3 times

·        With  elaneer 3 times

·        Take Ellu bella and abhishek it

·        Take  thembittu and abishek it

·        Offer salt and peeper

·        Do pooja with kumkum,turmeric and Flowers.

·        Put kaja vastra for nagar.

·        Like the above follow the procedure for all nagar u have drawn at vassal, near thulasi madam .

·        Draw nagar in wall with Turmeric and do pooja

Naivedya

·         Prasadam and Fruits are been offered to Nagaraja

Aarthi

·        Do Aarthi  with  sodalu

·        Finally, with kalpoora

  Thamboola

                        Gave Thamboola Dhakshina to some brahmana

Thus Naga Chaturthi/Nagula Chavithi festival is celebrated by women for goodhealth of their Children. Some people observe Naga Chaturthi Viratham in the month of karthigai if they miss in the Adi masam.
 
On the day of the Naga Chaturthi some communities fast during the daytime and eat food only after sunset.

There is a belief that unmarried women who undertake Naga Chaturthi Viratham and do the pooja and feed snakes will get good husbands.
 
It is widely believed that the childless couples will be blessed with a child, if they observe the NagaChaturti Vratham.
 
Those who read the story from the Mahabharata on the day of Naga Chaturthi after worshipping Sarpas will be greatly relieved from the problems due to Sarpa dosha. The impact of Sarpa dosha is so severe that it may create early curtailment of wedlock, by death of spouse or divorce, delay in pregnency or no pregnency and unexpected miscarriage.

Dosha Nivarana Mantra should be recited for 108 times daily for more results that are effective.


Sarpa Dosha Nivarana Mantra

'Anantho Vasukee Seshaha Padmanaabhascha Kambalaha
Sankhapaalo Dhaatharaastraha Takshaka Kaaliyasthatha
Ethaani Navanaamaani Nagaanaam cha
Mahaathmanaam
Saayamkaale pateth nityam praathakaale'