Vendors at a local market near the Patan Durbar Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are selling pictures of the serpent deity ''Naag'' ahead of the ''Naag Panchami'' festivities in Lalitpur, Nepal, on August 8, 2024. The Fifth Day of the Bright half-moon of the Shrawan month, as per the lunar calendar, is regarded as Naag Panchami, a day dedicated to Serpent Deities. The festival of Naag Panchami is also regarded as a festival to strengthen the bond between humans and nature. On this particular day, farmers are not digging or ploughing the field; rather, they are worshipping the deity by making idols from the mud of their field. The Serpentine deity is also regarded as the god of water and rain, and as per religious belief, it is said that the house where the Naag deity resides is bestowed with wealth and prosperity. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto) (Photo by Subaas Shrestha / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP)