Nag Vasuki Temple

History

Prayagraj’s places-of-interest page places Nag Vasuki on the north of Sangam at Daraganj and records the Nag Panchami fair as the temple’s signature annual gathering.

The site sits on the same Daraganj riverfront circuit as other Sangam-side temples, so pilgrims often combine it with a Sangam visit rather than treating it as a distant excursion.

Stories

Vasuki Rests at Prayag

Tradition says Vasuki, king of serpents, served as the churning rope in the churning of the ocean and was left wounded by the friction. At Vishnu's request he rested at Prayag, where the Triveni Sangam is said to have healed him.

When King Divodasa of Kashi tried to take him away, the gods are said to have pleaded with him to stay. He is believed to have agreed on two conditions: that devotees visit him after bathing at the Sangam, and that he be worshipped on Nag Panchami.

The Nag Panchami Fair at Daraganj

The temple stands on the Ganga bank in Daraganj, close to the Sangam, and houses an image of Nag Vasuki along with Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha. A reclining statue of Bhishma Pitamah also lies within the premises.

On Nag Panchami thousands of devotees gather and a large annual fair is held. Accounts trace the temple's origins to about the tenth century CE, with the present structure credited to the Maratha ruler Shridhar Bhonsle in the eighteenth century, though these details come from a single summary and should be treated as approximate.

Good to know

North of Sangam, Daraganj Ganga bank

Nag Raj and related shrines in the premises

Big fair on Nag Panchami

Getting there

Nearest airport: Prayagraj. Rail: Prayagraj Junction. Local auto or taxi to Daraganj, north of the Sangam.