KATHMANDU, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Hindu devotees in Nepal are celebrating the Naag Panchami, a festival of snakes across the country worshipping the serpent deity with great reverence on Sunday.

    The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Shrawan, according to the Lunar Calendar. The Shrawan month begins from July 16 to Aug. 16.

    On the occasion, devotees paste pictures of Naag (serpent deity)above the main gate of houses, with the belief that houses will be protected from lightning and fire and the family from snakes and scorpions.

    Offerings of milk, ghee, sweets, water and rice are also made at the sites of snake holes. Devotees consider themselves lucky if snakes drink offered milks.

    In Hinduism, the Naag is considered as divine and the divine serpents are believed to be a guardian of the ground.

    Devotees are thronging to several temples in the capital Kathmandu including Naag Bahal in Patan, Basukithan in Pashupatinath and Naag Pokhari in Naxal to pay homage to the serpent deity.

    All the eight serpent deities in the Pantheon are worshipped Sunday by offering milk and incense. The eight serpent deities areAnanta, Basuki, Padama, Mahapadma, Takshyaka, Kuleer, Karkata and Sankha.

    Special religious fairs are also held at different Naga kunda or ponds dedicated to the serpent deity throughout the country on Sunday.