Naga Panchami celebrated with traditional flavour

Naga Panchami celebrated with traditional flavour
The Hindu

HUBLI: "Naga Panchami" was celebrated on Wednesday with gaiety in the region, with devotees queuing up outside temples to worship the serpent god.

Many temples in the city had prepared for the festival on Tuesday by cleaning the pedestal and the idols of the serpent god "Nagaraja." The festival, which is celebrated mainly in North Karnataka, has two added attractions for the young and old alike. One is the "jokali" (swing) and the other, the "undi" (laddu).

"Jokali habba"

"Naga Panchami" is also known as the "jokali habba" in some places, especially the rural areas. Although there is not much information available on how the swings came to be associated with the festival, the swings have become synonymous with "Naga Panchami."

They are seen everywhere during the festival, especially in villages and semi-urban areas.

The festival also provides an opportunity for the youth to compete with each other in reaching the highest point sitting on the swing. In many villages, those who can grab a coconut tied to the branch of another tree while swinging are rewarded.

These swings, which appear days before the festival, are a source of joy even after the festival.

But development has taken a toll on these festivities in cities and towns. In many parts, residents are unable to enjoy the `jokali' as open space is scarce.

Another attraction of the festival is the `undi' (laddu).

The `undi' is an essential component of `Naga Panchami' celebrations. Many varieties of mouth-watering laddus are prepared a few days before the festival.

Laddus made from fried groundnuts, sesame, sooji, and gulige are prepared specially for the festival.