Snake worship.

July 21, 2009

We all know worship of snakes is very high in Kerala and we hv lot famous temples for that.Even in many houses in village side lot of people worship snake god and set apart a place called "kavu" where lot of trees are found and cutting of trees are prohibited and every year once or twice offerings are made and snake god is worshipped in the traditional way and food is offered though the same may not be the food of the snake but the same are attracted by rats and becomes rat-snakes which become food for cobras etc.

Mythology says that Kerala was created by sage Parasurama(an avatar of Vishnu) and donated to nambudhiris to wash out the sins done by him by killing lot of kshatriyas.The land was full of forests containing lot of snakes.To make the land habitable snake temples were built for worship and the same continues.Cutting trees of those places are prohibited but the intersting point is that the groves contain trees and plants which hv herbal value and can be used even for snake bites.

In temples like Mannarsala near Haripad the snake temple is very famous and attracts devotees from all over the country and worshipping there will enable to get progeny for those who don't hv children and many ailments are cured.The same is run by unmarried women only through several centuries.There are also famous snake temples in other palces which attract devotees.I know many persons hv been benefitted by worshipping in those temples like getting progeny,cure from strange diseases.

It is not known why snakes are worshipped to such an extent in Kerala only and what actually is the reason for the same and when the tradition started?I am sure somebody in the Group may be able to clarify my doubt.Can I hope?

Hare Krishna.

See the Web's breaking stories, chosen by people like you. Check out Buzz.

July 22, 2009

Guruvayoorappa,

Dear Devotees

of the Lord,

I think

OPHIOLATRY or Serpent-Worship (‘Sarpparadhana’) is a very great

subject than we think.

I have my

humble doubt about the statement of Sri GANAPATHY RAMANJI that ‘it is not

known why snakes

are worshipped to

such an extent in Kerala only…’ It seems that it may not be in Kerala

only. It is heard that

in some African

countries it is as much as or more than that, in Kerala. I am saying this not

for any debate; only

from hearsay

and not authoritative. If known to some Gurudevs, kindly enlighten us.

Padaravindame Saranam,

Guruvayoorappa Saranam

mpr

Thank you,

Have a great

day,

mprnair,

nairradhakrishnan.

guruvayur [guruvayur ] On Behalf Of GANAPATHY RAMAN

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 12:22

PM

guruvayur

[Guruvayur] Snake

worship.

We all know worship of snakes is very high in

Kerala and we hv lot famous temples for that.Even in many houses in village

side lot of people worship snake god and set apart a place called

" kavu " where lot of trees are found and cutting of trees are

prohibited and every year once or twice offerings are made and snake god is

worshipped in the traditional way and food is offered though the same may not

be the food of the snake but the same are attracted by rats and becomes

rat-snakes which become food for cobras etc.

Mythology says that Kerala was created by sage

Parasurama(an avatar of Vishnu) and donated to nambudhiris to wash out the

sins done by him by killing lot of kshatriyas.The land was full of forests

containing lot of snakes.To make the land habitable snake temples were built

for worship and the same continues.Cutting trees of those places are

prohibited but the intersting point is that the groves contain trees

and plants which hv herbal value and can be used even for snake bites.

In temples like Mannarsala near Haripad the snake

temple is very famous and attracts devotees from all over the country and

worshipping there will enable to get progeny for those who don't hv children

and many ailments are cured.The same is run by unmarried women only through

several centuries.There are also famous snake temples in other palces which

attract devotees.I know many persons hv been benefitted by worshipping in

those temples like getting progeny,cure from strange diseases.

It is not known why snakes are worshipped to such an

extent in Kerala only and what actually is the reason for the same and when

the tradition started?I am sure somebody in the Group may be able to clarify

my doubt.Can I hope?

Hare Krishna.

See the Web's breaking stories, chosen by people like you. Check

out Buzz.

July 23, 2009

Hari-Om

Dear Gurudevas,

In this forum I was expecting some real , genuine personal comments on writes-up

by various authors.

I did not want to comment on this subject not because I am not familiar with it

but for obvious other reasons.

As a child growing up in Kerala. I had ample opportunities to witness snake

poojas conducted by Namboothiri priests in my own residence as well as

elsewhere.

Serpent worship is not restricted to Kerala and it not a Nair tradition if that

is the assumption of certain individuals. Again Nairs are not of Naga origin.

There is a Naga community in north India, Nagaland, Nagpur is the capital city,

Naga worship dates back to Indus valley civilization. Before that , Lord

Mahadev ( anyone calls himself is familiar with) wears a live Cobra around His

neck and I am sure He was not a member of the Nair community.

Lord Krishna killed the troublesome Kaliya who occupied River Yammuna and

harassed the people around that place.

Nagapanchami is celebrted all over India and the origin of Nagpnchmi is the

killing of kaliya by Krishna 5000 years ago.

Snakes were worshipped all over the world including Europe from time immemorial.

The original inhabitands of America and Mexico worshipped the Cobra. They

worshipped what is called the AMARUCA, the plumed/ flying serpent. America

derived its name from the name AMARUCA .

The maya civilization, The ancient Egyptians, the Romans all had their Serpent

Gods.

Buddhists believe in Snakes ; Sree Buddha is said to have been saved by a

serpent .

Chinese believe in Cobra worship and they have the Dragon Cobra.

According to legands, it is Rahu disguised as snake that swallows the sun and

moon during Grahnam.

The Sarpa kavu in Kerala is mainly an envioremental preservation and protection

scheme

( the sarpa kavu covers a vast area of plants and trees considered bad omen if

destroyed ) disguised in religious myth to make the illiterate inhabitants of

bygone days to preserve the practice.

I am not writing this for debate but as a humble trial to clear up a mess.

jai shree krishna !

Achuthan Nair

guruvayur , Hemant Radhakrishnan <hemant197515 wrote:

>

> Dear Mr Nair,

> Hope the article below gives some insight.

> number of sociologists are of the view that the Nairs are not indigenous to

Kerala, as many customs and traditions distinguish them from other Keralites.

There is a hypothesis on the basis of mythology that the Nairs are Nagas and

were Kshatriyas belonging to the Serpent dynasty (Nagavansham)[25][26] who

removed their sacred thread and migrated south to escape the wrath of a vengeful

Parashurama. A Naga origin from Rohilkhand has been suggested.[27] The affinity

of the Nair community towards serpent worship, their martial past, and the

absence of the sacred thread lends support to this theory.. In addition, the

Travancore State Manual states that there were indeed serpent-worshiping Nagas

in Kerala who fought with the Namboothiris till they reached a consensus. The

Nairs have also been classified as of Dravidian (Saka) origin as well as being

linked to the Nagas.[28][29][30]

> According to Chattampi Swamikal, who interpreted old Tamil texts, the Nairs

were Naka (Naga or Snake) Lords who ruled as feudal lords in the Chera( chera=

snake) kingdom. Therefore this theory proposes Nairs to be descendants of the

rulers and martial nobility of pre-Brahmin Kerala. But the most widely accepted

theory is that the ethnic group is not native to Kerala and the Nairs of Kerala

and the similarly matrilineal Bunts of southern Tulu Nadu are thought to be

descendants of the Kshatriyas who accompanied the Brahmins to Kerala and Tulu

Nadu respectively from Ahichatra/Ahikshetra in southern Panchala. [31] One finds

mention of the Nairs during the reign of the King Rama Varma Kulashekhara

(1020-1102) of the second Chera dynasty, when the Chera Kingdom was attacked by

the C number of sociologists are of the view that the Nairs are not indigenous

to Kerala, as many customs and traditions distinguish them from other Keralites.

There is a hypothesis on

> the basis of mythology that the Nairs are Nagas and were Kshatriyas belonging

to the Serpent dynasty (Nagavansham)[25][26] who removed their sacred thread and

migrated south to escape the wrath of a vengeful Parashurama. A Naga origin from

Rohilkhand has been suggested.[27] The affinity of the Nair community towards

serpent worship, their martial past, and the absence of the sacred thread lends

support to this theory. In addition, the Travancore State Manual states that

there were indeed serpent-worshiping Nagas in Kerala who fought with the

Namboothiris till they reached a consensus. The Nairs have also been classified

as of Dravidian (Saka) origin as well as being linked to the Nagas.[28][29][30]