Playing with scorpions is form of worship for devotees at India snake festival

Villagers in India’s Karnataka state played with scorpions as part of the festivities at an annual snake worship festival on August 3, 2022. Snakes are often fed milk during the Hindu festival of Nag Panchami as it is celebrated across India. But in Kandakoor village in the southwestern state, devotees worship scorpions along with snakes. After conducting religious rituals, devotees find scorpions around the temple and allow the arachnids to crawl on their faces and bodies. Devotees stung by the scorpions will apply a paste made with herbs including turmeric to soothe their wounds. No fatalities have ever been reported, according to local media reports.