Serpent worship in Kashmir
Hira Lal Kak
Kashmir is one of the principal centres of serpent-worship in India; there is no doubt that snake-worship prevailed in the valley from a very early period. Records at a great length speak how Kashmir was created out of water and left to the care of the Nagas of whom Nila, the son of Kashyapa, was the chief.
Nila and the Nagas kings, imrananjriji puja is propitiated on 1st Day of Shukla paksha in the month of Chaitra. Another ceremony called Varuna Panchami puja is held on the fifth day of Bhadra and is connected with the worship of serpent king Nila. The four dikpalas of Kashmir are, le four Nagas bindusaras in the east, Srimadaka in the south, Elapatra in the west and Uttaramanasa in the north.
Nilmata Purana next relates the manner in which Kashmir became inhabited- "At first human being could live there only for six months. The remaining half of the year it was occupied by Pisachas under their rule, named Nikumbha. At the beginning of spring when the snow would melted away the Pishacha king with his whole army left the country and went to fight the goblins that live in the ocean of sand. Thus, it continued during four yugas. Then one year an old Brahaman, Chandradeva by name, stayed behind and found a refuge in the subterranean palace of Nila, the king of Nagas. Not only did he find shelter here against the cold but the serpent king consented to his wish that in future the people should be allowed to dwell in the country the whole year round. Moreover, Nila imparted to his guest the rites which should be observed by the inhabitants of Kashmir. From that time, onwards the people were no longer troubled by the Pishacha, Further the Nilamata says "Ira is dear to the Nagas and to me she is especially so, whosoever pays worship to me in an Ira garden with Ira flowers, with him I am pleased excessively." The rites ordained by Nila occupied about two-thirds of the extended text of the Nilamata Purana. It describes two festivals which are closely connected with the legend of the Pishacha. The full moon day of chatra, the first month of spring, is the day on which Nikumbhaand his host of goblins were about to leave the country. On that day, it is ordained that people should make a clay image of Nikumbha and pay reverence to it. The night should be passed with music and the next day the people should ascend the hills to say farewell to Nikumbha. The return of the pisachi army is commemorated on the full moon day of Ashvans or Ashvayuj, the first month of autumn. On that day the image of Nikumbha is worshipped. People must place an oil-lamp outside their houses during the night, a custom which is still observed in Kashmir.
Himalaya must be worshipped, and the two cold seasons hemanta and Shishira. It can be no matter of surprise that Nila, too, partakes of the worship, considering that the snow-fall is attributed to the agency of the Nagas. He is, indeed, to be presented with the offerings of flowers and fruits and with incense of bdellium (guggle). Earliest Brahamins are to be fed with jaggery and ghee. The festival of first fall of snow is associated with another solemnity peculiar to Kashmir, which, as Dr Bhuler observed, would rather of the practice of orthodox Brahmins in the plains of India. On this occasion the goddess Shyama receives special worship in the form of offering of flowers, incense, ointments, food, fruits and roots. Another festivity in which Nila and the Naga participate is celebrated in the month of Chaitra, when Nikumbha go out of the country. It is called Iramanjaripuja and has festival of spring festival.Ira was an Apsara Nila and the Nagas were also propitiated on the Iramanjaripuja festivity (New snow fall day; in Kashmiri Navsheen) which took place in the month of Chaitra. Another ceremony called VaruGa panchami was held on the fifth day of Bhadra and was connected with the worship of serpent king Nila under the name Dhanada The religious significance of the water is established by the NilamataPurana when it records the entire land of the Kashmir as the material manifestation of Uma and describes her as the divine form of the Vitasta (the Jhelum). The Nilamata Purana, which is the oldest of the legend and to which most of the rites prescribed by NilamataPurana are concerned with the nature of worship of popular deities. But there are some festivals which are particularly connected with the worship of Naga or serpent. The Nilamata PuraGa also records the names of the principal Nagas worshipped in Kashmir, the total number of which was 527. The four dikpalas of Kashmir, mentioned by the author of the Nilamata PuraGa were four Nagas - Bindusara in the east, Srimadaka in the south, Elapatra in the west and Uttaramanasa in the north. From a remote period, great importance must have been attached to the worship of the Nagas as is shown by the long account of them given in the Nilamata PuraGa. A large number of temples, built near some of the famous springs and undoubtedly of the Pilgrimages directed to them, clearly pointed out the popularity of the Naga-cult in ancient Kashmir. According to the NilamataPurana, the Nagas were supposed, according to the Nilamata Purana the Nagas were supposed, to reside in the lakes and springs of the valley. Even now names of places like Verinag, Anantanag, Eecanag, etc. show traces of ancient Naga beliefs.
Nilmat puran speaks worship of Kartikeya is performed on the 6th of Shukla paksha, Chaitra Mass every year for The welfare and safety of the children of Kashmir.
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Courtesy: December 2022 Koshur Samachar