Snake worship she sold herself to a man named Gonga no Tayu, who (unbeknownst to Sayohime) intended to sacrifice her to the snake deity of his village in place of his own daughter. When presented to the snake, Sayohime read from the Lotus sutra, enabling the deity to achieve enlightenment and shed its monstrous form. The deity then returned Sayohime to the care of her mother. In Australia, various Aboriginal mythologies tell of a huge python, known by a variety of names but universally referred to as the Rainbow Serpent, that was said to have created the landscape, embodied the spirit of
Snake worship 1). The Manasa-cult in Bengal, India, however, was dedicated to the anthropomorphic serpent goddess, Manasa (Bhattacharyya 1965, p. 1). Nāgas form an important part of Hindu mythology. They play prominent roles in various legends: Shiva is depicted wearing a snake around his neck. Nag panchami is an important Hindu festival associated with snake worship which takes place of the fifth day of Shravana (July-August). Snake idols are offered gifts of milk and incense to help the worshipper to gain knowledge, wealth, and fame. Different districts of Bengal celebrate the serpent in various ways. In the districts of East Mymensing, West