nagas

Nagas are legendary serpent beings in Indian and Southeast Asian traditions. The term naga derives from Sanskrit for serpent. In Hinduism and related traditions, nagas are semi-divine beings that can take both human and serpent forms. They are commonly associated with water, rain, fertility, and protection, and are said to inhabit realms such as Patala as well as rivers and underground spaces. Important naga figures include Shesha (also called Ananta), the cosmic serpent who serves as the bed of Vishnu; Vasuki, the king who encircles Mount Mandara during the churning of the ocean; and Takshaka, a naga king involved in various legends.

In Buddhist cosmology, nagas are powerful beings that may appear as serpents or humanoid figures with snake features. They inhabit rivers, lakes, and mountain regions and can act as protectors of the Dharma or as impediments to humans, depending on the tale. A well-known episode is Mucalinda, the naga who sheltered the Buddha after his Enlightenment.

In Jain tradition, nagas also appear in cosmology as serpent beings, though they play a less central role than in Hindu or Buddhist narratives.

The word naga is also used for the Naga peoples, a collection of Indigenous tribes in Northeast India and parts of Myanmar, including Nagaland. These communities are ethnically diverse, with hundreds of villages and languages, and have played a prominent role in the history and politics of the region.

Cultural influence of nagas is widespread in South and Southeast Asia, where naga imagery appears in art, temple architecture, and rituals. Festivals such as Naga Panchami celebrate serpent worship and rain symbolism in parts of India and Nepal.