हिंदी में पढ़ें: नाग पंचमी 2026: तिथि, पूजा विधि और शिव परिवार मूर्ति
Nag Panchami 2026 falls on Monday, 17 August — the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight of Shravan. It is the day serpent deities, the Nag Devtas, are honoured in Hindu homes across India, and it sits inside the month most closely associated with Lord Shiva. This year it lands on a Monday, the weekday traditionally dedicated to Shiva, which is why so many families combine their Nag Panchami puja with a Sawan Somwar observance at the home mandir.
This guide covers the 2026 date and timings, why serpents are worshipped alongside Shiva, a simple step-by-step puja vidhi you can follow at home, and how to set up a home mandir around a handcrafted Shiv Parivar idol — the one murti that brings the whole divine family, Nandi included, into a single piece.
Why serpents are worshipped in Shravan
Serpents run right through the imagery of Sanatan Dharma, and almost every strand of it leads back to Shiva. Vasuki, king of the nagas, is the serpent coiled at Shiva’s throat — the ornament he wears where others wear gold. Shesha (Ananta) is the thousand-hooded serpent on whom Lord Vishnu reclines. Kaliya is the naga subdued in the Yamuna by a young Krishna. Vasuki again is the rope in the Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean.
Because Shravan belongs to Shiva, and the serpent belongs to Shiva, the fifth day of Shravan’s bright fortnight became the day to offer respect to the nagas directly. Traditional invocations name twelve — Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padma, Kambala, Karkotaka, Ashvatara, Dhritarashtra, Shankhapala, Kaliya, Takshaka and Pingala — and reciting these names is itself considered the core of the observance.
There is an agricultural logic underneath the devotion, too. Shravan is peak monsoon. Fields flood, burrows fill with water, and snakes come up onto higher ground and into human spaces. A festival that asks households to respect rather than harm them is, in the most practical sense, a monsoon-season safety custom carried in the language of worship.
Nag Panchami puja vidhi at home
The observance is refreshingly simple — no priest, no elaborate samagri. Most families do it in under half an hour, in the muhurat window of the morning.
- Clean the space. Wash the mandir shelf or puja chowki, wipe the idols, and lay a fresh cloth. Bathe yourself before the puja and wear clean clothes.
- Set the naag swaroop. Households use whatever their tradition prescribes — a clay or silver naag figure, a printed image, or a pair of serpents drawn on the wall or beside the doorway with haldi and chandan paste. If you keep a Shiv Parivar idol, place it at the centre; Shiva already carries the serpent.
- Offer the panchopchar. Water, then milk, then haldi, kumkum and akshat (unbroken rice), then flowers and durva. Offer the milk to the idol or image.
- Light the diya and dhoop. A ghee or oil diya on the right of the deity, dhoop or loban on the left. This is where an akhand jyot earns its place — it can be kept burning through the day.
- Naivedya. Kheer is the classic offering; sevaiyan, lai, dhaan (puffed rice) and seasonal fruit are all traditional. Nothing fried in many households — see below.
- Katha and aarti. Recite the twelve naga names or read the Nag Panchami katha, then perform aarti and distribute prasad.
Customs many families follow on the day
Practices vary by region and by household, and none of these are universal — follow what your family does. In many homes the earth is not dug or tilled on Nag Panchami, out of care for burrows below the surface. In several regions people avoid frying on a tawa or iron griddle, and cook steamed or boiled food instead. Sisters in parts of North India pray for their brothers’ protection from snakebite, which gives the day a Raksha Bandhan-like family flavour a fortnight before Rakhi itself.
The Shiv Parivar idol: the whole family in one murti
Antique Brass Shiv Parivar Idol
Shiva seated with his trishul and jata, Parvati beside him, Ganesha on his lap and Kartikeya at his feet — with Nandi completing the group at the left. Cast in solid brass with a hand-finished antique patina on an oval lotus base, this is the piece to anchor a Nag Panchami or Sawan Somwar puja, and it stays right through the year as the presiding murti of a home mandir.
Handcrafted in our own Jodhpur workshop. Free delivery pan-India, cash on delivery available.
Most home mandirs grow one deity at a time, and the shelf ends up crowded with mismatched pieces in different metals and scales. A Shiv Parivar murti solves that in a single object: Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya and Nandi together, in one metal, at one scale, on one base. For Nag Panchami specifically, it is the most fitting idol we make — the day’s presiding deity is Shiva, and the serpent is his own.
Where to place it
The commonly followed guidance is to keep the home mandir in the north-east (ishan) corner of the house, with the idols positioned so that you face east or north while praying. Keep the murti raised on a chowki rather than directly on the floor, leave a little clear space in front for the diya and thali, and avoid placing the mandir in a bathroom wall, under a staircase, or in a bedroom if you can help it. Our vastu decor guide goes into placement across the rest of the home.
Caring for antique-finish brass
An antique brass finish is a deliberate darkened patina, not tarnish — so treat it gently. Wipe with a soft dry cloth after puja to lift oil and ash, and dry it immediately if milk or water is offered on it. Avoid lemon, tamarind, vinegar and abrasive metal polishes: they will strip the antique finish back to raw yellow brass and it will not come back. An occasional wipe with a barely damp cloth, then dry, is all these pieces need.
Handcrafted idols, diyas and pooja essentials
Pieces from our Jodhpur workshop for a Nag Panchami puja and the Shravan month — brass and marble-dust murtis, diyas, and the thali and burners that go with them. All handmade, with free delivery and cash on delivery:
Browse more: brass showpieces · marble décor · spiritual & pooja items.
Building a Shravan mandir that carries into the festival season
Nag Panchami opens a run of festivals that barely pauses until November. Set your mandir up well now and it carries the whole way through: Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday 14 September, Navratri from 11–19 October with Dussehra on 20 October, and then Dhanteras on Friday 6 November and Diwali on Sunday 8 November.
The pieces overlap more than people expect. The diyas you light today are the diyas you light on Dhanteras. The pooja thali works for every aarti between now and then. And the Ganesha murti you add for Shravan is the murti you install for Ganesh Chaturthi four weeks later. Our guides for each:
- Indian god idols & murtis for home — the complete collection, organised by deity and by material
- Ganesh Chaturthi 2026 — the full idol and décor guide for 14–25 September
- Ganpati decoration at home — mandap, backdrop and lighting, step by step
- Brass showpieces for home — idols, diyas and décor from our Jodhpur workshop
- Marble home décor — idols, pooja pieces and tabletop
- Tealight candle holders — ten handcrafted designs
- Navratri decoration ideas 2026 · Dhanteras 2026: what to buy · Diwali decoration ideas 2026
Frequently asked questions
When is Nag Panchami in 2026?
Monday, 17 August 2026. The Panchami tithi begins at 04:52 PM on 16 August and ends at 05:00 PM on 17 August, with the commonly published puja muhurat running 06:04 AM to 08:39 AM. Some regions, notably Gujarat, observe Nag Panchami in the dark fortnight of Shravan on a different date — follow your local panchang.
Why is Nag Panchami connected to Lord Shiva?
Shravan is the month dedicated to Shiva, and the serpent is Shiva’s own — Vasuki, the naga king, is worn coiled at his throat. Worshipping the nagas in Shiva’s month is worship of Shiva by another route, which is why a Shiv Parivar idol or a Shivling is the natural centre of a Nag Panchami puja at home.
Should I offer milk to a real snake?
No. Snakes cannot digest milk, and the practice causes real harm to the animals used for it. Offer the milk at your idol or image at home instead — the devotional intent is fully met, and a growing number of temples have formally adopted this.
What is a Shiv Parivar idol?
A single murti showing the family of Shiva together: Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Ganesha, Kartikeya and Nandi. It is the practical choice for a home mandir because you get the whole family in one metal, at one scale, on one base, instead of assembling mismatched pieces over the years.
What should I keep in the mandir for Nag Panchami?
A murti or naag image at the centre, a diya on the right, dhoop or loban on the left, a pooja thali with haldi, kumkum, akshat and flowers, and a naivedya of kheer or fruit. Our pooja and spiritual range covers the thali, diyas and burners.
Do you take bulk orders for temples, societies and corporate gifting?
Yes. We are the manufacturer, with our own workshop in Jodhpur — MOQ is 5 pieces plain and 25 pieces branded, we issue a GST invoice, quotes come back within 24 hours and are held for 30 days. Request the wholesale catalog and pricing here.
A note on where these come from. Kraftskala is a maker, not a reseller. Every idol, diya and thali on this page is cast, finished and packed in our own workshop in Jodhpur, Rajasthan — which is why we can take a 5-piece order or a 500-piece one and quote either within a day. Free delivery across India, cash on delivery available.
Wishing you and your family a blessed Nag Panchami and a peaceful Shravan. 🙏
