A snake festival is observed in the Nágeshwar temple at Awás in the Kolába District on the night of the 14th day of the bright half of Kártika (November). Nearly four hundred devotees of the god Shankar assemble in the temple, holding in their hands vetra-sarpa long cane sticks with snake images at their ends. They advance dancing and repeating certain words, and take turns round the temple till midnight. After getting the permission of the chief devotee, they scatter throughout the neighbouring villages with small axes in their hands, and cut down, and bring from the gardens, cocoanuts, plantains, and other edible things that are seen on their way. They return to the temple after two hours, the last man being the chief devotee called Kuwarkándya. The fruits are then distributed among the people assembled at the temple. Nobody interferes with them on this day in taking away cocoanuts and other fruits from the village gardens. On the next day they go dancing in the same manner to the Kanakeshwar hill with the snake sticks in their hands. [750] In the Deccan no special snake festivals like those described above are celebrated. But in the temples devoted to snake deities, on the full moon day of Kártik, which is sacred to the snake deity, the deity is worshipped with special pomp, and the crests of the temples are illuminated on that night. [751] The village cures for snakebite are:-- 1. The use of charmed water and the repetition of mantras by a sorcerer. 2. The use of certain roots and herbs as medicines. 3. The removal of the sufferer to the neighbouring temple. 4. Branding the wound with fire. 5. The drinking of soapnut juice, or of water in which copper coins have been boiled by the patient, who is thus made to vomit the snake poison. [752]