The Serpentine Feminine

From sacred grove guardian to celestial maiden and shapeshifting avenger, naagin embodies nature, power and mystery

- By K HARI KUMAR

The concept of the female serpent deity is one of the most intricate and captivating figures in South Asian traditions.

Terms such as naagini, naagayakshi, naagakanya, naagi and naagin are often used interchangeably, yet each holds some unique resonances shaped by region, belief system and time. While all evoke the powerful image of the serpentine feminine, they inhabit distinct cosmologies—some local, some scriptural and some shaped by modern fantasy.

Across these diverse portrayals, the feminine serpent—sometimes depicted as a full-bodied woman, sometimes as a hybrid with a serpent's tail—depicts a bond with elemental forces—the earth, the water and the unseen realms. This deep connection often manifested in folklore, as Vogel [scholar] notes, through rich tales of mortal men enticed by the allure of serpent women, often culminating in romance or marriage. Even Kalidasa, in his epic Raghuvamsa, couldn't resist this potent theme; he tells of Kusa, Raama's own son and heir, whose destiny became entwined with Kumudvati, the youngest sister of the Naagaraaja Kumuda, through marriage. Travel north to the mist-shrouded mountains, and Kalhana's Rajatarangini breathes life into a poignant Kashmiri legend—the whispered story of love igniting between Visakha and the ethereal Chandralekha, fair daughter of the Naaga Susravas.

Oldham [colonial writer] speculates these stories might reflect historical mingling between serpent-worshipping tribes and Aryan or Dravidian settlers—or perhaps they are simply projections of a deeper human fascination with the mystery and perceived power of the feminine divine or natural form.