Nagvasuki Temple

Nagvasuki Temple is truly one of its kind as Lord Vasuki, the king of serpents rested here after the churning of the ocean of milk. The churning of the milk ocean is a famous event from the vedic period referred to as ‘Samudra Manthan’. Lord Vasuki’s role in the Samudra Manthan acting as the pivot can’t be ever discounted.

Located in the Daraganj locality of Prayagraj dham, on the banks of the sacred Ganges, the temple witnesses’ huge crowds every month. This is one of the few temples where one could get rid of the bad effects of Kaal Sarpa dosha (a negative astrological position), the other temple being in Nashik, Maharashtra.

Out of extreme fear of the Deity here, Aurangzeb came to have darshan in this temple. Aurangazeb was alarmed that his men couldn’t destroy the temple in spite of so much efforts. As he came up to the temple from the banks of the sacred Ganges after reaching Prayagraj, he pulled out his sword. But surprisingly, Lord Vasuki appeared before him in a frightening form as he tried to destroy the Deity. Being very much frightened, Aurangazeb fell unconscious. Thus, Aurangazeb’s efforts to destroy the Deity became futile.

Lord Vasuki received the special blessings of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu here. In fact, Lord Shiva declares that Lord Vasuki has ever been his most obedient devotee.

How Lord Vasuki came to reside in Nagvasuki Temple

The lila of Lord Vasuki coming to reside in Prayagraj on the banks of the sacred Ganges is mentioned in the Padma Purana. During the Samudra Manthana i.e., churning of the ocean of milk. Lord Vasuki was tied around the Sumeru mountain and used as a rope for churning the ocean of milk. His body had weakened from the bruises caused by the peaks of Mandara Mountain which caused burning sensation on his body.

To rejuvenate himself, Lord Vasuki went to the Mandrachal mountain to rest. Despite that, he could not relieve himself of the burning sensation in the body. Agonized, Lord Vasuki approached Lord Vishnu for a solution who advised him to go to Prayagraj and bathe/ drink the waters of the sacred and cool Sarasvati River. Further, he could rest there itself until he was relieved of his agony. Following the instructions of Lord Vishnu, he went to Prayagraj and was successful in rejuvenating himself.

When Lord Vasuki was about to leave Prayagraj after getting well, the Demigods and Sages present there asked him to reside there permanently. He agreed to the request subject to two conditions:

1. A devotee’s visit to Prayagraj would become complete only after having his darshan following a holy bath in the Triveni Sangam.
2. Lord Vasuki should be worshiped specially on the Naga Panchami day of the Shravana month

The Mahabharata states: tatra bhogavati nama, vasuki tirtha uttamam / tatraabhishekam yah kuryaat, sah ashwamedha phalam labhet: In the Prayaga Kshetra there exists a prominent tirtha by name of Vasuki. Those who take holy bath there avail the punya of performing the ashwamedha yajna. This place is also called as Naga Hrda Kshetra.

The Deity of Nagvasuki Temple

Lord Vasuki is worshiped in a Deity form made from black stone in the Nagvasuki Temple. The Deity of Nagvasuki has five hoods and four coils in his body. It is believed that the Manasaputras i.e., sons born of Lord Brahma’s mind had installed the Deity here first.

There are Deities of Parvathi Devi, Lord Ganesha, and Bhishmadev (in lying position) present here. Lord Shiva too is present here.

The Maratha King Sridhar Bhonsle had renovated the temple in the 18^th century. Stones from the 10^th century can be seen on the premises.

Nagvasuki Temple timing and festivals

Devotees can have darshan of Lord Vasuki and the other Deities in the temple from 10:30 AM in the morning to 4:30 PM in the evening. Being dedicated to Nagas, the temple timings here are distinct in comparison to the other temples.

Naga Panchami is the main festival celebrated here. Thousands of devotees queue up to have the darshan of Lord Vasuki and perform special pujas on this occasion. It is also said that the Naga Panchami celebrations began after the establishment of the Nagvasuki temple but the veracity of this claim needs to be verified.

How to reach Nagavsuki Temple

Reaching the Nagvasuki temple for the darshan of Lord Vasuki is only possible by traveling to Prayagraj. And if you are going on a pilgrimage to Prayagraj, your pilgrimage is complete only after you have the darshan at the Nagvasuki Temple along with a holy bath/dip in the Triveni Sangam. So, if you are really serious about a fully satisfying and blessed pilgrimage to Prayagraj, you must visit the Nagvasuki Temple located on the banks of the sacred Ganges.

The Ayodhya-Kashi Yatra conducted by Tirtha Yatra is a very good option to get the finest spiritual experience especially if you love delectable prasadam, mind-blowing pastime narrations, comfortable visit, and lots of other unique aspects.

Else, you can choose one of the following methods of transportation to reach Prayagraj dham. Or even a combination if that’s better.

1. By Air – There are direct flights to Prayagraj from major cities in India. The airport is located at Bamrauli on the outskirts of Prayagraj city.
2. By Train – The ‘Prayagraj Junction’ station is well connected by trains from major cities in India and other small cites in Uttar Pradesh. It is the headquarters of North Central railway.
3. By Road – National highways and State highways connect the city to other parts of the country. Inter-state bus services are available from the three bus stations of Prayagraj.

Nagvasuki temple: A special kind of worship

The worship of Nagas is intimate to the Vedic culture. They have been revered throughout the Indian subcontinent since ages in various ways. They are even the presiding Deities of the astrological star ‘Ashlesha’. Lord Vasuki, the king of serpents commands special attention at the Nagvasuki temple in Prayagraj. So, his worship too is quite special such as smearing the Deity completely with turmeric and more. May Lord Vasuki bless you with a satisfactory pilgrimage to Prayagraj!