It is widely celebrated in Ayodhya and Pondicherry, two places closely connected with the events of the Ramayana, to participate in Ram Navmi festivities. In Ayodhya, thousands of pilgrims converge at the Kanaka Bhawan Temple. Colourful processions are held, which comprise brilliant floats of Ram, his wife Sita, Ram's loyal brother Lakshmana and Hanuman, Ram's monkey-general. Plays based on the Ramayana are also enacted. The Naag culture is quite common in India.
Snake charmers start gathering snakes, thereby saving the lives of the young serpents.
Live cobras or their images are worshipped. Women worship Ananta the cosmic snake in temples. In Bengal, Manasa is worshipped as the goddess of snakes. Shiva is also worshipped since he wears snakes as ornaments. Snakes are feed milk and sweets, and released into the forests.