Shirala
Encyclopedia
Shirala also called Battis [32] Shirala is a small town in India
, 60 kilometers west of the district
headquarters of Sangli
and about 350 kilometers from Mumbai
, capital of Maharashtra
state. It is particularly known for its Hindu festival of the snake god.
. State transport and private buses daily run between Mumbai and Shirala. It is advisable to stay at Kolhapur, the nearest city, which is 25 miles away and well-connected to Shirala. Kolhapur is connected to Mumbai through daily flights and trains.
A few days before the actual festival, villagers (including children) hunt for snakes in the nearby areas in groups of 5-10. Snakes (including the poisonous Indian King Cobra
) are traced from their body marks in soil. The ground is dug very carefully and the snakes are captured very carefully. Hundreds of hours spent in searching produce 7-8 snakes per group if they are lucky enough.
On the actual day of the festival, the snakes are taken in a huge procession. The procession begins with the blessings of village-goddess Amba-bai. Nearly 70-80 groups and organizations take part in the procession.
Snake festival, which is attended by hundreds of thousands people.
On Bendur, a day approximately two weeks before the festival, farmers clean their cows and bulls, decorate them and feed them with special food; villagers go snake
-hunting, after getting kaul (permission) from Goddess Amba Bai by placing a flower on her head. If the flower falls, voluntarily on left side then that family is not allowed to catch snake that year. It is believed that only natives of Shirala are allowed to catch the snakes. Snakes (including the venomous India
n King Cobra
) are tracked by their body marks in the soil. The ground is dug up carefully and the snakes are captured. A lot of care is taken so that snakes are not hurt as if they are hurt it is considered as a bad thing for that family. Hundreds of hours of searching produces seven or eight snakes per group if they are lucky. These snakes are then stored in a big circular earthen pot with a smaller circular earthen pot placed on the top opening. Finally a cloth is used to cover the top and is tied with a rope. These pots are usually hung outside house. Every morning till the actual festival, these snakes are taken out of their earthen pots and fed with a rat or frog. This feeding is called Dav Pajane or feeding dew to a snake.
On the day of festival, the snakes are displayed in a huge procession
. The procession begins with the blessing
s of the village
goddess
Amba-bai. 70 to 80 groups and originations take part in this procession. Before this procession, in the morning, snakes are taken to few neighboring homes so that women in those homes can worship these snakes. Recently court has banned catching of snakes due to animal (snake) abuse cases as rough handling of snakes can result in their death.
The snakes that were caught before the festival, are released at the same place from which they were caught.
Mith is one of the families in Shirala use to worship snake murti
.
When one of the Navnatha (Gorakhnath) visited their place , he gave them permission and blessing to catch actual snake and worship it. Shirala also has Gorkhnath Temple. Once in 12 years all the followers of Nath panti (Nath Sampradaya) visit Shirala and leave one of them behind to take care of this temple for the next 12 years.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, 60 kilometers west of the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
headquarters of Sangli
Sangli
Sangli is a city in the state of Maharashtra of India. Sangli is known as the Turmeric city for its vast production of Turmeric. Sangli is situated on the banks of river Krishna and is the largest market place for Turmeric in Asia and houses many sugar factories, which it is also noted for...
and about 350 kilometers from Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, capital of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
state. It is particularly known for its Hindu festival of the snake god.
The name
The origin of town’s name stems from an interesting story. The prefix ‘battis’ is a number- thirty-two (32). It is said that thirty-two small villages surround this larger town. Historically, Battis Shirala has been major market and shopping center for these villages. Name Shirala comes from word “Sri-aalay” signifying arrival of the saint Gorakhnath to the town.Local Economy
The major source of income for people in this town is from agriculture. Since this place is capital of tehsil or taluka, large numbers of people are employed in various government offices, schools, colleges, banks, hospitals and other service industry. A couple of agriculture-based industries (sugar and starch) also contribute to the town’s economy. Water supply for drinking and agricultural purposes is available from Morna Dam located 5 kilometers from town. The tehsil has large area under thick forests due to heavy monsoon rains. It provides patronage to variety of wild life in ‘Chandoli abhay-aranya', a national forest.Transportation
Shirala is about 220 miles from MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. State transport and private buses daily run between Mumbai and Shirala. It is advisable to stay at Kolhapur, the nearest city, which is 25 miles away and well-connected to Shirala. Kolhapur is connected to Mumbai through daily flights and trains.
Snake Festival
Shirala is famous for its ‘Naag-Panchami’ - Festival of Snakes, an annual festival attended by hundreds of thousands people all across the world.A few days before the actual festival, villagers (including children) hunt for snakes in the nearby areas in groups of 5-10. Snakes (including the poisonous Indian King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
) are traced from their body marks in soil. The ground is dug very carefully and the snakes are captured very carefully. Hundreds of hours spent in searching produce 7-8 snakes per group if they are lucky enough.
On the actual day of the festival, the snakes are taken in a huge procession. The procession begins with the blessings of village-goddess Amba-bai. Nearly 70-80 groups and organizations take part in the procession.
Noted annual festival
Battis Shirala is famous for its annual Nag PanchamiNag panchami
Nāg Panchamī is a festival during which religious Hindus in some parts of India worship either images of or live Nāgas on the fifth day after Amavasya of the month of Shraavana. Traditionally, married young women visit their premarital households to celebrate the festival...
Snake festival, which is attended by hundreds of thousands people.
On Bendur, a day approximately two weeks before the festival, farmers clean their cows and bulls, decorate them and feed them with special food; villagers go snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
-hunting, after getting kaul (permission) from Goddess Amba Bai by placing a flower on her head. If the flower falls, voluntarily on left side then that family is not allowed to catch snake that year. It is believed that only natives of Shirala are allowed to catch the snakes. Snakes (including the venomous India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n King Cobra
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia...
) are tracked by their body marks in the soil. The ground is dug up carefully and the snakes are captured. A lot of care is taken so that snakes are not hurt as if they are hurt it is considered as a bad thing for that family. Hundreds of hours of searching produces seven or eight snakes per group if they are lucky. These snakes are then stored in a big circular earthen pot with a smaller circular earthen pot placed on the top opening. Finally a cloth is used to cover the top and is tied with a rope. These pots are usually hung outside house. Every morning till the actual festival, these snakes are taken out of their earthen pots and fed with a rat or frog. This feeding is called Dav Pajane or feeding dew to a snake.
On the day of festival, the snakes are displayed in a huge procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
. The procession begins with the blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
s of the village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
Amba-bai. 70 to 80 groups and originations take part in this procession. Before this procession, in the morning, snakes are taken to few neighboring homes so that women in those homes can worship these snakes. Recently court has banned catching of snakes due to animal (snake) abuse cases as rough handling of snakes can result in their death.
The snakes that were caught before the festival, are released at the same place from which they were caught.
Mith is one of the families in Shirala use to worship snake murti
Murti
In Hinduism, a murti , or murthi, or vigraha or pratima typically refers to an image which expresses a Divine Spirit . Meaning literally "embodiment", a murti is a representation of a divinity, made usually of stone, wood, or metal, which serves as a means through which a divinity may be worshiped...
.
When one of the Navnatha (Gorakhnath) visited their place , he gave them permission and blessing to catch actual snake and worship it. Shirala also has Gorkhnath Temple. Once in 12 years all the followers of Nath panti (Nath Sampradaya) visit Shirala and leave one of them behind to take care of this temple for the next 12 years.