There is an Orissa style Jagannath Mandir near this Trimandir ashram complex, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. We went there on a stroll once, enroute we came to a small shrine at the side of the road. Curious, I checked which deity it was – the Naag Devta.
A quaint, small shrine with a photo of the Naag devta, some lamps and few other paraphernalia lying inside. A few flags stuck high up on poles fluttering in the wind – white, with a snake symbol.
I have not seen such kind of quaint Naag Devta shrines on the side of the road elsewhere – may be a feature of these regions of Gujarat.
The other day, I noticed another snake shrine within this ashram complex itself, which I had somehow not acknowledged properly earlier. It looks like the remnant of whatever was here before this ashram was constructed. And not a proper temple/shrine that the ashram management may have constructed. 🙂
It is at the base of a Neem tree, which is interesting. Typically it is usually a banyan tree. And someone else also thinks so, because a Banyan sapling has been planted there. One evening, I spotted a lady doing aarti at this shrine. I watched curiously.
Snake shrines are also common in Jain & Hindu temples. In Jainism, they are considered as kshetrapal devtas – guardian deities. For sure, having some snakes around would scare a lot of people away 😀
I checked with my domestic help about these small snake shrines in the area. She said, “where there are fields and some of these things are there, then they put a snake shrine there.” Does it help? “Yes, definitely it helps, then nothing will trouble over there. My mother in law has a snake shrine in her house, though there is no field or farm there“.
In Himachal, when I stayed in the town of Jibhi for a month, I had gone trekking to the nearby Serolsar lake. It is considered to be the abode of the mother of all (Himachali) Naag devtas. A feminine devi shrine but with many arcane practices around. 😁
With varied travel experiences I can see these shrines as part of a larger culture of worshipping, deifying snakes across the subcontinent. 🙏🏻 Much joy to see this connectedness. And to see this little Naag shrine below the Neem tree on my daily walks. Happy vibes.
Where in Trimandir? Recently i watched Nag rituals by Sadhguru Jaggi. Naga is nothing but Kshetrapala. Can you give some insight?
It is not inside Trimandir. but rather within the larger dada bhagwan foundation premises. Most likely was a pre-existing one which they left as is and someone is taking car of it now
There tradition of Nag shrines everywhere in Field in Gujrat. I worked near Trimandir, in that also same shrine, it may be of Naga. Will check it with local worker.
Sadhguru has lot of interesting videos where Sadhguru talks more about the Nagas – what they are , their different types. You can check his videos: https://youtu.be/1znhJ4Ulxn8
Previously very odd vision about Snakes. But what Sadgurud talk about Nagas, it change my perspective. Kshetrapala, my farm is protected by one Naga, he never seen by anyof my family members but whenever any outsider goes through farm he just appear before them.
Oh, that’s very interesting. 🙏🏼