Hundreds of snakes paraded in Indian city of Samastipur as part of Hindu ritual

M/S Group of men holding snakes, Samastipur
M/S Man hooding snake
M/S Group of men holding snakes
M/S Man holding snake on stick
W/S Men catching snakes
W/S Men catching snakes
M/S Group of men inciting snakes to fight
M/S Group of men holding snakes
W/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Adult and child holding snakes
C/U Adult and child holding snakes
W/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Procession of men holding snakes
SOT, Desh Pande, Resident (Hindi): "We have come here today to offer our rituals and prayers to the snake god. We caught these snakes a week before and after offering holy rituals everyday, today we brought the snakes here to participate in the festival. After the ceremony and once the festival is over we will leave the snakes in the bushes in the nearby forest."
W/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Procession of men holding snakes
M/S Women and children watching procession of men holding snakes
C/U Women and children watching procession
C/U People watching procession
W/S Festival in honour of Snake God
W/S Festival in honour of Snake God
M/S Snake being touched
M/S Snake being touched
M/S Snake being touched
W/S Snake being touched
M/S Snakes circled by people
SCRIPT
Hundreds of snakes were paraded through the streets of Samastipur in the Indian state of Bihar on Monday as part of the 'Nag Panchami' Hindu ritual.
In a bid to ward off bar karma and omens, snakes were fished or dug out of their holes, offered blessings and then carried on sticks and even the locals' shoulders through the city.
Nag Panchami, the Hindu worship of snakes and serpents, is often observed in either July or August coinciding with the monsoon season in India.
During the fifth month of the Hindu calendar Shravan, snakes could also be dug out and kept in earthen pots for a fortnight before the procession.