Snake temples and serpatine worship in India

Originally posted by: whitewitch

Stories involving the ngas are still very much a part of contemporary cultural traditions in predominantly Hindu regions of Asia (India, Nepal, and the island of Bali). In India, ngas are considered nature spirits and the protectors of springs, wells and rivers. They bring rain, and thus fertility, but are also thought to bring disasters such as floods and drought.

Nagas are snakes that may take human form. They tend to be very curious. According to traditions ngas are only malevolent to humans when they have been mistreated. They are susceptible to mankind's disrespectful actions in relation to the environment. They are also associated with waters"rivers, lakes, seas, and wells"and are generally regarded as guardians of treasure.[citation not found]

They are objects of great reverence in some parts of South India, where it is believed that they bring fertility and prosperity to their venerators. Expensive and grand rituals like the nagamandala[4] and the Ngrdhane are conducted in their honor.

Another example comes from South India. Women gather at Hindu temples to worship ngas (considered snake goddesses in south Indian Hinduism). At the temples, the ngas take the form of snakes carved into stones. Hindu women gather around the stones to make offerings to the female snake goddesses. These goddesses are believed to make women fertile, protect the women and her family, and bring prosperity. The snake goddess is represented as an anthill or a snake that lives inside an anthill or stones with snake carvings on them. In each form, women of South India honor the ngas with offerings. Hindus believe a person who harms or kills a snake will be inflicted with a condition known as nga dsam which causes infertility and delays in marriage. Nga dsam can only be reversed through varying degrees of worship to nga.[5]

A third example comes from certain communities called Ngavan, including the Nairs of Kerala and the ethnically related Jain Bunts of Karnataka. These communities trace their ancestry to ngas.

Nagas are also worshipped in the Dug Nakuri region of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. Nakuri (from Nagpuri or city of nagas) corresponds to the town of Berinag and is home to many temples devoted to Nagas namely Dhaulinag (Dhavalnag), Kalinag (Kaliyanag), Feninag (Faninag), Bashukinag (Vasukinag), Pinglenag & Harinag. [6][7]

Nagas live in Ptla, the seventh of the nether dimensions or realms.[8] They are the children of Kashyapa and Kadru. Among the prominent ngas of Hinduism are Manasa, the nagaraja or King of the ngas ea and Vasuki

Check this too

[Ancient Egyptians worshiped snakes, especially the cobra. The cobra was not only associated with Ra, but also many other deities such as Wadjet, Renenutet,Nehebkau, and Meretseger. Serpents could also be evil and harmful such as the case of Apep and Set. They were also referenced in the Book of the Dead, in which Spell 39 was made to help repel an evil snake in the underworld. "Get back! Crawl away! Get away from me, you snake! Go, be drowned in the Lake of the Abyss, at the place where your father commanded that the slaying of you should be carried out."^[6]

Wadjet was the patron goddess of Upper Egypt, and was represented as a cobra with spread hood, or a cobra-headed woman. She later became one of the protective emblems on the pharaoh's crown once Upper and Lower Egypt were united. She was said to 'spit fire' at the pharaoh's enemies, and the enemies of Ra. Sometimes referred to as one of the eyes of Ra, she was often associated with the lioness goddess Sekhmet, who also bore that role.]

I guess have really strong influence on mankind Egypt and other parts of the world as well in terms of faith..

Originally posted by: Rein123

Check this too

[Ancient Egyptians worshiped snakes, especially the cobra. The cobra was not only associated with Ra, but also many other deities such asWadjet,Renenutet,Nehebkau, andMeretseger. Serpents could also be evil and harmful such as the case ofApepandSet. They were also referenced in theBook of the Dead, in which Spell 39 was made to help repel an evil snake in the underworld. "Get back! Crawl away! Get away from me, you snake! Go, be drowned in the Lake of the Abyss, at the place where your father commanded that the slaying of you should be carried out."^[6]

Wadjet was the patron goddess of Upper Egypt, and was represented as a cobra with spread hood, or a cobra-headed woman. She later became one of the protective emblems on the pharaoh's crown once Upper and Lower Egypt were united. She was said to 'spit fire' at the pharaoh's enemies, and the enemies of Ra. Sometimes referred to as one of the eyes of Ra, she was often associated with the lioness goddessSekhmet, who also bore that role.]

I guess have really strong influence on mankind Egypt and other parts of the world as well in terms of faith..

Originally posted by: Rein123

Is Mansa also the daughter of Kadru and Kashyap or as some sources stated is she the daughter of Shiva. If she is Shiva's daughter how does she become Vasuki's sister?

Originally posted by: PutijaChalhov

See this link for Interesting information on snake and snake worship

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sumer_anunnaki/reptiles/reptiles15.htm

Originally posted by: abhiya_12

Thanks for the link,its really informative..
Though I believe in Naga worship but am against offering milk to snakes..I read somewhere snakes can't take any liquid?