Nag Panchami is being celebrated on Monday, August 17, 2026, across much of India, with devotees worshipping Nag Devta and Lord Shiva during the holy month of Shravan. The festival falls on Shukla Paksha Panchami and this year coincides with Shravan Somwar, adding to its religious significance for Shiva devotees. For those planning a puja, however, the date is only part of the story. The precise tithi and muhurat can vary slightly between panchang calculations and locations.

Nag Panchami 2026 Date and Time: When Should You Perform Puja?

For New Delhi, Drik Panchang lists Panchami tithi as beginning at 4:52 PM on August 16 and ending at 5:00 PM on August 17. The recommended Nag Panchami puja muhurat is 5:51 AM to 8:29 AM on Monday. Aaj Tak also gives the same Panchami tithi window and confirms August 17 as the festival date because Panchami remains in effect after sunrise. Its suggested puja period is 6:04 AM to 8:39 AM. This makes August 17 the widely accepted observance date despite small differences in the recommended morning muhurat.

Why Some Nag Panchami Timings Look Different

People searching for Nag Panchami 2026 Date and Time may notice different figures across websites. Hindustan Times, for example, gives Panchami tithi from 1:22 PM on August 16 to 1:30 PM on August 17 and lists a 6:46 AM to 9:37 AM puja window. Those figures differ from the current New Delhi timings displayed by Drik Panchang. This does not change the festival date, but it does matter if a family is trying to perform the puja at a precise hour. The safest option is to check a panchang calculated for your own city or confirm the timing with a local temple or priest before beginning the ritual.

Why Nag Panchami 2026 Is Special This Year

Nag Panchami 2026 falls on a Monday during Shravan, a day already associated with the worship of Lord Shiva. Nag Devta has a strong symbolic connection with Shiva, who is traditionally depicted with the serpent Vasuki around his neck. As a result, many devotees combine Nag Panchami rituals with their regular Shravan Somwar worship. Families may visit Shiva temples, perform jalabhishek and offer prayers to representations of Nag Devta. The festival traditionally represents respect for serpents, protection of family members and harmony between humans and nature.

How to Perform Nag Panchami Puja

Devotees traditionally begin the morning with a bath and wear clean clothes before preparing the worship area. A picture, idol or symbolic representation of Nag Devta may then be placed at the puja site. Offerings commonly described in festival guides include flowers, rice, turmeric, roli, durva grass, sweets and other traditional puja items. Lord Shiva may also be worshipped with water, bilva leaves and prayers because the festival falls during Shravan. After making the offerings, devotees may light a diya and incense, perform aarti and listen to or recite the traditional Nag Panchami katha. For Nag Panchami 2026, devotees who want to follow a specific muhurat should complete the main morning worship within the local auspicious window.

Nag Panchami Mantra to Chant During Puja

A traditional Nag Panchami Mantra invokes prominent Nag Devtas including Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padmanabha, Kambala, Shankhapala, Dhritarashtra, Takshaka and Kaliya. Drik Panchang lists verses honouring these serpent deities as part of Nag Panchami worship. Another simple mantra commonly associated with Shiva worship is: Om Namah Shivaya Devotees may chant it while offering water to the Shiva lingam. Aaj Tak also lists the mantra as part of the day's Shiva worship practices. The Nag Panchami Mantra is traditionally recited with the intention of seeking protection, peace and the blessings of Nag Devta.

Should You Offer Milk to Live Snakes?

Many traditional guides describe milk as an offering during Nag Panchami, but it is safer to make symbolic offerings to an idol or image rather than feed a live snake. Wildlife SOS notes that milk is not a natural part of a snake's diet and has repeatedly urged people not to encourage the capture, handling or exploitation of snakes during religious festivals. Respecting wildlife can therefore be part of the festival itself: worship symbolically and allow wild snakes to remain in their natural habitat.

Is Nag Panchami Celebrated on September 1 Anywhere?

Yes, but this should not be described as a general western-India date. In Gujarat, Nag Pancham is traditionally observed about 15 days after the Nag Panchami celebrated across much of North India. Drik Panchang lists Tuesday, September 1, 2026, as Nag Pancham in Gujarat. The Gujarati observance falls during Krishna Paksha Panchami of Shravan under the lunar-calendar tradition followed there. For most other regions following the commonly cited Shravan Shukla Panchami observance, August 17 remains the date.

Nag Panchami Wishes to Share With Family

For anyone looking for Nag Panchami wishes, simple messages focused on peace, protection and prosperity work well. “May Nag Devta and Lord Shiva bless your family with happiness, good health and protection. Happy Nag Panchami.” “May the blessings of Mahadev and Nag Devta remove obstacles from your path and bring peace and prosperity to your home.”

“Wishing you and your loved ones a sacred and peaceful Nag Panchami filled with faith, happiness and divine blessings.” These Nag Panchami wishes reflect the traditional themes associated with the festival without making guarantees about health, wealth or other outcomes.

What to Remember Today

Nag Panchami 2026 is being observed on Monday, August 17 across most of India. For New Delhi, the most consistently supported Panchami timing is 4:52 PM on August 16 to 5:00 PM on August 17, with the morning puja muhurat listed by Drik Panchang as 5:51 AM to 8:29 AM. Exact muhurats can vary with location, so anyone planning a time-sensitive ceremony should check a local panchang rather than relying on a national timing alone. The date is settled. The precise hour depends on where you are.