This is the moment a huge multitude of people is filmed marching down the street brandishing hundreds of long snakes above their heads and even wrapped around their bodies and necks.

The zany procession was filmed in an unspecified location in India today (Friday, 13th August). The dates marks Nag Panchami, a day of traditional worship of snakes observed by Hindus.

The festival is dedicated to the Lord of Serpents, Nag Devta. As part of the festival, women worship the lord and pray for their family members’ well-being.

Startling footage shows hundreds of people almost exclusively young men carrying snakes as they march down the streets, in most cases with their arms raised and the snakes held high in the air.

At one point a man even comes down the street with a boy on his shoulders and the snake wrapped around the child.

Crowds gather at the side of the road to watch the spectacle with children, seemingly unconcerned that some of the snakes are huge and need two people to carry them.

It is believed that some of the snakes are even poisonous with their handlers holding them carefully by the mouth to make sure they don’t bite anyone.

This year the festival happened by chance to take place on Friday 13th, ironically often regarded as more likely to bring bad luck than good fortune.

However, that did not stop the devotees as they also prayed to the deity Shiva to ask him to protect them from snakes.

And, as seen in the footage, men march through the streets brandishing wriggling and hissing snakes.

According to a report on the festival by News 18, worshippers offer milk to Lord Shiva at temples, they prepare kheer – a type of wet pudding – at home, and they fast in honour of the snakes which Shiva bears around his body and neck as ornaments.

The report states that in line with Hindu tradition, adherents worship the 12 serpents Ananta, Vasuki, Shesha, Padma, Kambala, Karkotaka, Ashvatara, Dhritarashtra, Shankhapala, Kaliya, Takshaka and Pingala.

They also recite the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, which translates as: “We sacrifice to Tryambaka (The Three-eyed One) the fragrant, increaser of prosperity. Like a cucumber from its stem, might I be freed from death, not from deathlessness.”

And they also meditate while chanting “Om Namaha Shivaya”, with “Namah Shivaya” translating as “O salutations to the auspicious one!” or “adoration to Lord Shiva”.