Bihula Festival

Bihula is a prominent folklore in some portions of Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. It is about the dedication of a woman to her husband and goddess at the same time. Again, it is culturally rich, as the name is mentioned in traditional Hindu sagas and passed on as folklore. The serpent goddess Mansa is the center of it, the story depicts how she established herself as a goddess among the common people overcoming the prejudice against her ability to be a goddess to all. Special Ashtanag rituals are offered to Devi during the Asaahad, Shravan month of the traditional Hindu calendar. Some say that to save one's life from snake bites and ease the life of kids one has to offer her prayers. District Bhagalpur in Bihar has a major festival-like fair organized to recognize the Goddess and her kindness, which is also called Bihula-Bishari. It is dominated by arts crafts, plays and shows that showcase snakes as their centres. The splendid Manjusha craftsmanship has always been a big part of this festival. People aware of the folklore in the prominent regions take part in the yearly celebration.