One of the distinctive traditional festivals of Bishnupur in
the Bankura district of West Bengal is Jhapan, a festival associated
with the worship of Goddess Manasa, the serpent deity. Traditionally
regarded in Bengal as the goddess of snakes, Manasa is also associated with
protection from snakebites, fertility, rainfall and agricultural prosperity.
Jhapan therefore reflects both the religious traditions surrounding Manasa
worship and the agrarian culture of western Bengal.
Observed during the month of Shravan, the festival features
prayers and songs in praise of Manasa as well as performances by traditional
snake handlers. They display live snakes, including cobras and pythons, often
carrying them in traditional bamboo baskets known as jhapis. The
festival is particularly noted for its snake-handling demonstrations and
attracts visitors to Bishnupur.
Jhapan has a long association with the cultural traditions
of the former Malla kingdom of Mallabhum. Local tradition connects the festival
with Bir Hambir, the celebrated Malla ruler of Bishnupur, although the
precise historical origins of Jhapan are not firmly established. Some accounts
instead trace its development to the patronage extended by the Malla royal
family to traditional snake healers and practitioners.
The festival thus represents an important strand of Bengal's
folk religious and cultural heritage, combining Manasa worship, traditional
snake-handling practices and the agricultural traditions of the region.
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