Karkotak Nageshwar Temple -Varanasi

Suprabhatam

Karkotak Nageshwar Temple -Varanasi

Karkotak Nageshwar Mahadev Temple located in Nag Kuan Mohalla in Varanasi (Kashi). Also known locally as Nag Kund or Nag Koopa or Nag Kuam, this ancient temple literally means well of serpents.

Interestingly, the Karkotak Nageshwar Mahadev Linga remains submerged under water for the entire year and becomes visible only when the well is cleaned for the auspicious occasion of Naga Panchami.

People believe that taking a dip in this well on Nag Panchami immunes them from the snake bites and it also has astrological benefits.

This place has been mentioned in the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana but locals do not have much information on when the well was built.

Hindu authoritative texts state that the pious Patanjali Maharshi spent a great deal of time in penance here and wrote a commentary of Panini’s Ashtadhyayi, a Sanskrit treatise of grammar that is held in high regard by all. It is also believed that the Shiva Linga that is seated in the well was consecrated by Patanjali Maharshi.

The Shiva Linga remains submerged under water even after the well is cleaned for the festivities and puja on Naga Panchami. It has been stated in the Hindu scriptures that one is freed from the deadly Kaal Sarpa Dosha after having darshan of Lord Nageshwar here. People come to have a dip in this holy water and cure themselves of the fear of snakes and planetary afflictions.

The depth of the well is unknown but locals say that there is a door that lies somewhere deep inside the well that leads to Naga Loka. As the main Shiva Linga is submerged under water, another Linga has been placed in the temple for daily puja.