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Snake charming is the practice of appearing to hypnotize a snake (often a cobra) by playing and waving around an instrument called a pungi. A typical performance may also include handling the snakes or performing other seemingly dangerous acts, as well as other street performance staples, like juggling and sleight of hand .
The pungi [3] [4] [5] is a Hindu folk music reed pipe instrument [6] that is mostly played by cobra charmers [7] in Sindh and Rajasthan. [8] The instrument is made from a dry hollowed gourd with two bamboo attachments. [9]
In the villages, if a snake inadvertently happened to enter a home, a Kalbelia would be summoned to catch the serpent and to take it away without killing it. Kalbelias have traditionally been a fringe group in the society, living in spaces outside the village where they reside. They live in makeshift camps called deras.
Serpentessa, the snake priestess talked with ET about the new fad. After getting her start in snake charming 35 years ago, she now offers her services to other to help them find relaxation and ...
The Oriental rat snake Ptyas mucosa is often mistaken for the Indian cobra; however, this snake is much longer and can easily be distinguished by the more prominent ridged appearance of its body. Other snakes that resemble Naja naja are the banded racer Argyrogena fasciolata and the Indian smooth snake Wallophis brachyura . [ 6 ]
Snake charmers typically need 6 to 7 cobras each year to replace those that perish. These snake charmers in Jaipur, India have set up their act on the sidewalk in a busy tourist area.
Their traditional occupation is snake charming, said to be Muslim converts from the Hindu Sapera caste. The Sapera speak a dialect which is a mixture of Urdu, Hindi and Maithili. Although Muslim, most Sapera worship a tribal deity known as Bisahari. found in the districts of Saharsa, Champaran, Sitamarhi and Purnea in Bihar. Sapuria [55]
AP Photo/Ariel SchalitA snake charmer who earned two doctorate degrees while serving a prison term for the heinous murder of his reptile-trading partner could soon become a millionaire thanks to ...