Ichchhadhari naag (female: ichchhadhari naagin) are mythical shape-shifting cobra. They are the inspiration for the plot basis of many stories, comics, television series, films and movies.
Ichchhadhari (इच्छाधारी) means wishful
Naag (नाग) means male cobra
Naagin (नागिन) means female cobra
Ichchhadhari naag (इच्छाधारी नाग) means wishful male cobra
Ichchhadhari naagin (इच्छाधारी नागिन) means wishful female cobra
A common male cobra will become an ichchhadhari naag, and a common female cobra will become an ichchhadhari naagin when it expresses its desire to Lord Shiva and received his blessing under the full moon light. It attains an extremely attractive human form of its own, as well as gain the ability to shape-shift into any living creature and could live forever without aging thanks to a gem called naagmani (cobra gem), given to it by Lord Shiva, considered much more valuable than any precious stone, as it has the power to heal wounds, cure sickness and revive.
Although ichchhadhari naag and naagin are solitary creatures like common cobra on Earth, they do exist in a social structure in another realm (physical dimension) called Naaglok, it is a vast jungle planet. There are hidden entrances (portals) that link Naaglok with other planets.
Naaglok has many different clans, each clan is being ruled by either a naagraj (cobra king) or a naagrani (cobra queen).
To become a naagraj or a naagrani, an ichchhadhari naag or naagin will kill a naagraj or a naagrani after taking away their naagmani to make them vulnerable. The more naagmanis an ichchhadhari naag or naagin attains, the more powerful he/she will become.
Renegade ichchhadhari naag and naagin from a clan may break away to join a different clan or combine with other renegade individuals from other clans to form a new clan.
Ichchhadhari naag and naagin are polygamy and lustful creatures, they can mate with multiple partners including common cobras and humans.
There are three different reproduce methods depending on mating combinations:
When an ichchhadhari naagin mates with an ichchhadhari naag or a common male cobra. She will reproduce via oviparity method by laying multiple eggs in an underground nest and leave them, hatchlings are just common cobras and are being left to fend for themselves as soon as they emerge after 48-68 days.
When an ichchhadhari naagin mates with a male human, she will reproduce via ovoviviparity method, give birth like female human but only after three months of pregnancy and to only one baby child after an egg is hatched inside her body. This child is a hybrid, but may or may not be an ichchhadhari naag/naagin.
When an ichchhadhari naag mates with a female human, she will give birth via viviparity method after nine months of live-bearing like normal human. The child is a hybrid and is an ichchhadhari naag/naagin since birth.
Offsprings of a hybrid ichchhadhari naag or a hybrid ichchhadhari naagin when they mate with human partners are human children.
The following list are television series that are inspired by ichchhadhari naag and naagin.
The following list are films and movies that are inspired by ichchhadhari naag and naagin.
The comic book superhero character Nagraj.
A Hindi comic character called Tausi, who is a male shape-shifting snake.