Jhapan Festival is the most important festival celebrated at
Bishnupur in
Bankura District of
West Bengal. The festival falls in the month of
Shravana (August).
This colorful festival honors Manasa, the daughter of Lord Shiva and the goddess of the serpents. Snake shows and snake fights are the highlights of this festival.
The word 'Jhapan' means 'a stage erected to exhibit tricks with snakes'. It represents the snake worship cult in Bengal. This is originally a regional harvest festival and also linked with the fertility cult too.
