Nagaradhane is a form of snake worship . The snake worship rituals in Tulu Nadu are quite unique and different from the other rituals . Snakes have their own snake  a sacred grove known as Nagabana . The shrines have their images of cobras carved of stones . Accordingly , nobody is allowed to chop the tree near the Nagabana . It is also believed that snakes , specifically the cobras , are not to be harmed or killed by anyone . The belief is that the individual who refuses to perform the rituals will be cursed by the snake for eternity.


There are two distinct rituals performed in reverence to the snake.They are , Aashleshabali and Nagamandala.Of these, Nagamandala is longer and morecolourful than Aashleshabali .Nagamandala depicts the divine union of male and female snakes. It is generally performed by two priests. The drawings in five different colours on the sacred ground are white (white mud), red (mix of lime powder and turmeric powder), green ( green leaves powder) , yellow (turmeric powder) and black (roasted and powdered paddy husk).

On the Nag Panchami day Nag, cobras, and snakes are worshipped with milk, sweets, flowers and lamps. Images of cobra carved out of stone  are first bathed with water and milk and then worshipped with the reciting  the mantras.Panchami is the special day of the serpent worship. Hence this is called Naga Panchami (Naga-Cobra; or simply, 'serpent) .There are many legends in Hindu mythology and folklore narrated to the importance of worship of snakes.

    In the Mahabharata epic,   Janamejeya, the son        of  King Parikshit of Kuru dynasty was performing a snake sacrifice known as Sarpa Satra, to avenge for the death of his father from a snake bite by the snake king called Taksaka. A sacrificial fireplace had been specially erected and the fire sacrifice to kill all snakes in the world was started by a galaxy of learned Brahmin sages. The sacrifice performed in the presence of Janamejaya. It was so powerful that it was causing all snakes to fall into the Yagna kunda (sacrificial fire pit). When the priests found that only Takshaka who had bitten and killed Parisksihit had escaped to the nether world of Indra seeking his protection, the sages increased the tempo of reciting the mantras (spells) to drag Takshaka and also Indra to the sacrificial fire. Takshaka had coiled himself around Indra’s cot but the force of the sacrificial yagna was so powerful that even Indra along with Takshaka were dragged towards the fire. This scared the gods who then appealed to Manasadevi to intervene and resolve the crisis. She then requested her son Astika to go to the site of the yagna and appeal to Janamejaya to stop the Sarpa Satra yagna. Astika impressed Janamejaya with his knowledge of all the Sastras (scriptures) who granted him to seek a boon. It was then that Astika requested Janamejeya to stop the Sarpa Satra. Since the king was never known to refuse a boon given to a Brahmin, he relented, in spite of protects by the rishis performing the yagna. The yagna was then stopped and thus the life of Indra and Takshaka and his other serpent race were spared. This day, according to the Hindu Calendar, happened to be Nadivardhini Panchami (fifth day of bright fortnight of the lunar month of Shravan during the monsoon season) and since then the day is a festival day of the Nagas as their life was spared on this day.