Mangaluru/Udupi: Coastal Karnataka celebrates naga panchami with devotion

Mangaluru/Udupi: Naga Panchami, one of the most revered festivals in South India, will be celebrated with devotion on Friday at various sacred Naga worship centers, including the renowned Kukke Sri Subrahmanya Temple and Kudupu Sri Anantha Padmanabha Temple.

Across the coastal regions of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, devotees will observe Naga Panchami with special poojas and religious rituals at numerous Naga sanctuaries. In addition to the main temples, the festival will also be celebrated in family Naga groves and various Subrahmanya temples.

On the eve of Naga Panchami, Thursday August 8 saw bustling markets across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as people prepared for the festival. Naga Panchami marks the beginning of the festive season in the coastal region, followed by a series of celebrations including Krishna Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi.

The festival is considered the inaugural event in a long line of festivities in the region, resuming the cycle of celebrations that had paused after Pattanaje, the traditional festival observed by the Tuluva community.