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Raipur snake lover consumes venom on Nag Panchmi
by Ramchand Sahu

     Raipur: Snake festival, commonly known as Nag Panchmi, dedicated to the goddess of snakes, showcasing a unique bondage between the humans and reptiles, was celebrated on Wednesday with full enthusiasm in various parts of the country. The festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the moonlit- fortnight in the Hindu month of Shravan (July-August).Snakes are worshipped and fed with milk on this occasion. During this time the serpents invariably come out of their holes that get inundated with rain-water to seek shelter in gardens and many times in houses. In one of such celebrations held in Raipur, Ashok Yadav, a snake lover, devoured the venom of a snake as a mark of respect for serpent species. After worshipping the snake, he extracted the venom and consumed it while holding the snake in his hand. "I have been consuming the venom of the snake since 1990 with the blessings of my Guru (teacher)," said Yadav. He consumes the venom every year and is hale and hearty even after performing the ritual since past 15 years. "I have consumed the venom, but nothing has happened to me. Whenever I take the venom, I get some irritation in my throat, but I don't encounter any other problem," he added.
-Aug 11, 2005