Nag Nathaiya 2016 would be celebrated by the people in India on 3rd of November, at Thursday.
Nag Nathaiya 2015
Nag Nathaiya 2015 was celebrated by the people in India on 15th of November, at Sunday.
Nag Nathaiya 2014
Nag Nathaiya 2014 was celebrated by the people on 27th of October, at Monday.
History of the Nag Nathaiya
Nag Nathaiya festival was first started in the 16th century by the great saint named, Tulsi Das at the Tulsi Ghat in the Benaras. Once upon a time, Lord Krishna and his friends were playing at the bank of the River and suddenly they had lost their ball in the nearest river. Everybody was asking about the ball and they had decided that may be the ball has gone into the river. Lord Krishna had jumped down into the river in order to search for the ball. In the river he was tackled by the toxic snake King Cobra, known as the Kaliya. Those days, villagers were really much afraid by the Kaliya from a long time. The conflict went for long between the Kaliya Nag and the Lord Krishna.
Finally Kaliya realized the power of Krishna and then he accepted his defeat and bent in front of the Lord Krishna. Kaliya promised that he will never harm the villagers. Then Kaliya picked up the Lord Krishna on his head and brought him outside the water. His friends were very pleased after seeing the Krishna outside the water and getting their ball. In this way Lord Krishna had saved the life of villagers from Kaliya as well as poisonous water. The whole event is known as the Nag Nathaiya.
Significance of the Nag Nathaiya
Nag Nathaiya is the most important festival which is yearly celebrated in the Varanasi to remember the Krishna Leela. Nag Nathaiya is the most significant part of life of the Lord Krishna. Nag Nathaiya festival is held at the Tulsi Ghat annually in the Benares. It is considered that the Lord Krishna was jump into the river Ganga for Kalia Nag Nathan in order to prevent people from his cruelty. Nag Nathaiya Leela is celebrated with the great joy and happiness by the people of Varanasi at the Tulsi Ghat between the month of November and December. This festival attracts a huge crowd at the ghat to see the Krishna Leela in Varanasi.
Celebration of the Nag Nathaiya in Varanasi
This festival is commemorated very eagerly in the Varanasi at the Tulsi ghat for celebrating the victory of the Lord Krishna. A very young boy plays the role of Lord Krishna, he take a jump into the river from the branch of the Kadamba tree at the bank of river Ganga to defeat the Kaliya. He comes outside the water at the head of Kaliya by having a flute in his hand and pose just like Krishna. A large crowd of the people collect at the ghat waiting for the boy to come out. This festival is even attended by the Kashi Naresh of the Ramnagar who views the Krishna Leela from his royal boat. After all, he offers awards to the actors who have performed in the festival.