Nag Kupa

The Nag Kupa or Nag Kuan or Serpent's Well or Karkotak Well is situated in Nag Kuan Mohalla, called after the name of the well. Nag Kuan locality adjoins the Ausan Ganj and comes under the perview of Jaitpura Police Station. Karkotak Nageshwar Lingam here remains submerged under the water and becomes visible after water is removed for cleaning the well. This place holds high importance in the culture, literature and history of India for being the site where Patanjali wrote commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi. Nag Kup or Karkotak Well bears marks of considerable antiquity; and, from the circumstance of an extensive colony or locality of Benares being designated by its name, there is no doubt that it must be regarded as one of the oldest historical places the present city possesses. The location of Nag Kup is the site of the oldest part of Varanasi.

No person in Benares can tell when the well was made but there is a reference to its existence in the Kashi Khand. Steep stone stairs, in the form of a square, lead down to the well; and a broad wall of good masonry, six or seven feet thick, surrounds them at their summit, rising to the height of four or five feet above the ground. Each of the four series of stairs has an entrance of its own. Their junction below forms a small square, in the centre of which is the well. Descending twelve stone steps, you reach the water which is stagnant. Beneath the water is a sheet of iron which constitutes the door leading to a still lower well, which, perhaps, may be the old well in its original state. Inside of the Nag Kupa to the east is an inscription of 1825 Samvat, mentioning a king extensively repaired the well. The wall was also repaired by Mr. Prinsep. Many stone-slabs of the stairs display carvings on their external surface, some of which bear un-mistakable marks of considerable antiquity.

At this well the Nag or Serpent is worshipped. In a niche in the wall of one of the stairs is a figure representing three serpents; and, on the floor, is an emblem of Lord Mahadeva in stone, with a snake crawling up it. The well is visited, for religious purposes, only once in the year, namely, on the 24th and 25th days of the month Sawan, when immense numbers of persons come to it, on pilgrimage, from all parts of the city. The women come on the first day, and the men, on the second. It is Nag Panchami, a prominent festival of India. The faithful offer sacrifices both to the well and to Karkotak Nageshwar or the Serpent-god. Near the wall of the stairs, on the south side, stands a large Pipal tree; and at the foot of it are several old mutilated images, one of which has extensive carvings upon it. There is, also, a small temple close by, containing statues & figures of Lord Hanuman and other deities. Outside the door of the temple are two strange antique idols, in bass-relief. One has, apparently, four legs and is graced with a nimbus. The other is in an erect posture, with a chhatra or umbrella over its head.