A Naga Offering (known as Lu Mchod in Tibetan Buddhism or Naga Puja) is a traditional ritual performed to appease and honor the Nagas subtle, subterranean, or aquatic serpentine beings that act as guardians of nature, bodies of water, and natural resources.
Key Concepts of the Ritual
Purposes & Benefits: Practitioners perform this offering to restore balance with the natural environment, seek healing (particularly for skin ailments or sudden illnesses believed to stem from disturbing nature), clear obstacles, and ask for favorable conditions such as timely rain, health, and prosperity.
Offering Types: The offerings generally include Lu Men (special Naga medicine), pure water, clean grains, five-colored silk, and vegetarian tormas made with the "three whites" (milk, butter, yogurt) and "three sweets" (sugar, honey, molasses).
Purity & Respect: Nagas are believed to be extremely sensitive to environmental pollution and impurities. Therefore, those performing or attending the ritual maintain strict personal purity often avoiding meat, garlic, onions, and alcohol on the day of the offering.
