petaboy

For centuries, India’s snake charmers have enjoyed a celebrated place in the country’s history. The hypnotic tunes they played to enchant snakes to dance have not only captured the imagination of Indians, but people all around. But now the industry is fighting for its survival amid stringent wildlife protection laws.

The government has banned the snake charmers to perform a show. They simply mislead the people around the world. They make the people believe that with the help of tune they play they make the snake dance but the fact is that snake has no hearing capability. They cannot listen to any sound as that sense is not present in them. They just move their head by seeing that instrument moving and feeling the vibration of it. The vibration sensitivity is very strong in them. They can detect the animal approaching to them through the faint vibration in the air and on the ground.

Snake yield nearly 12 grams of venom at single strike. On an average, snake yield venom of worth rupees 20 million in a lifespan of eight years. The snake charmers extract the venom and sell the same to private firm for which they are paid well. But in turn companies sell it the same to the pharmaceutical companies at much higher rate.

Snake charmers having lived with reptiles since childhood know only handling snakes and holding public show. So the strong measures adopted by police for last decade or so have put them in a difficult situation.

Snake charmers with their generation of knowledge of snakes should be employed in remote health centers where doctors are not available to treat a bite. Government should take this in to consideration after the ban in order to earn in better way rather than abusing the snake and misleading the people around the world.