Chandigarh, 6 August :Naag Panchmi, a traditional festival, was celebrated with great religious fervor at the Heritage village site Nature Observatory, Sector 26, Chandigarh.
Students of Govt. High School, Sector 26, Govt, Model Sr. Sec. School, Sector 44 B and selected schools of Chandigarh, participated in the function. Mr. R.S. Goraya, Ex, District Education Officer, Chandigarh Administration, inaugurated the festival. He said that snakes are the friends of man as they control the rat population which destroy our food and transmit plague and other diseases.
Traditional Gugga Party with Chharies in their hands performed Puja at the Gugga Marri.Later they performed cobra dance with the beat of drums. All the students also joined with them.Mr. Krishan Rahi sang a song in the praise of snakes. Programme coordinator, Om Parkash teacher of Govt. Model Sr. Secondary School, Sector 35, suggested the use of Guggal to ward of the snakes from homes He said that snakes should not be killed as they maintain ecological balance.
In a press interview, Environment Society of India President S.K. Sharma said that it was sad that snakes are captured in small boxes by the snake charmers.
They are starved and their teeth removed. The snake venom duct is pierced with hot needles which causes bursting of glands.
He further said that some snakes become blind due to application sandoor tikka which is applied on their head. Feeding the snakes with milk causes dehydration and allergic reactions and dysentery. Snakes are deaf and are not attracted to music. They move their heads with the movements of snake charmer’s flute to defend themselves.