Snake Charmers:Balancing Tradition, Danger, and Magic
Who has never heard of the mysterious snake charmers? Whether on television, in movies or stories; we all have in mind this image of a man turning over the lid of a basket from which a cobra emerges 🐍. The deadly reptile begins to swing as the man begins a melody with his gourd flute, called pungi or bansuri.
But although most people know the name of the snake charmer, very few know the secrets behind this unusual spectacle and these so-called "trainers". 🤔
Today dear reader, we invite you to discover in detail the little-known world of snake charmers.
1) Charming Snakes: an Ancient Tradition
A) India and its Snakes
India has a complicated relationship with snakes. Thousands of people die each year from snake bites, which makes snakes feared and even despised in some regions 😡. But paradoxically, snakes are also revered and celebrated throughout the culture and in some regional religions in India such as Rajasthan.
Among the main Indian deities associated with snakes are:
- Shiva, one of the main deities of Hinduism. He is usually depicted with blue skin and a king cobra wrapped around his neck.
- The god Krishna who is said to have said: "Among snakes, I am Ananta." Ananta being the infinite divine serpent guardian of creation 🌌.
- In Buddhism which is of Indian origin, Mucalinda the king of the Nagas (a species of mythological snake-men), lends his hood to Buddha to protect him from a storm.
B) Snake Charmers in Morocco
This tradition is much more present in India, the place of its birth 🌏. But there are many countries in Asia and North Africa where you can find snake charmers.
In Morocco, the Jemaa El Fna Square (or Djemaa el fna, meaning "Place of the Dead") in Marrakech, is very famous for its many snake charmer shows. This square is famous for being a real modern "Court of Miracles". Located not far from the Koutoubia Mosque 🕌 and the royal palace, the square is the place par excellence to find traditional entertainment such as fire eaters, fortune tellers, acrobatic monkey trainers, and snake charmers.
Open-air performances are held here all day long, and this square is a big reason why over a million visitors come to Marrakech each year.
C) The Snake Charmer
For many Westerners, when they think of India, the image that immediately comes to mind is a caricature of a snake charmer in costume with a flute, a basket, and a swinging cobra. The flutist sits cross-legged in his turban and folk dress, playing melodies so beautifully hypnotic 🎶that even the deadliest of snakes can't help but be amazed.
Most often, the snake in question is a naja cobra (or Indian cobra). A snake of the Elapidae family, among the most venomous of all 💀. But in other countries like Morocco or Algeria, snake charmers can use vipers to create the entertainment.
The art of snake charming is considered an ancient technique that is now believed to have developed in India. It is said that it was the healers who first demonstrated their ability to hypnotize a cobra 😵. Historically, it was believed to be a magical or god-blessed act, which many healers exhibited in their local communities.
Snake charmers were once regulars in markets, souks and bazaars. They mesmerized crowds of spectators with their ability to control some of the world's most venomous creatures. Snake charmers were also very present during religious festivals such as Nag Panchami: the annual religious festival in honor of the king cobra 👑.
D) The Snake Charmer Caste
Snakes are revered by Hindus in India and snake charmers are considered to be the followers of Lord Shiva 🙏.
There is an ancient tribe of snake charmers known as the Saperas. The members of this tribe have prospered over the generations by catching venomous snakes and making them dance to the rhythm of their music. They have thus formed a real caste.
Charming snakes is therefore a tradition in India. In some families, men have been becoming snake charmers for more than 10 generations 😮! These extraordinary musicians are more numerous in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India.
The art of making pungi, the traditional flute made from gourd fruits, is also transmitted through this family bond.
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E) Snake Charmers in Traditional India
Since they are accustomed from a young age to handling very dangerous snakes, in the past snake charmers could sometimes prove to be of public utility. India is full of extremely dangerous snakes, and when one was found in a house, the snake charmer on the street would often be called to come and capture the animal for a fee 💰.
Generally speaking, if someone had a problem with a snake, they would come to the charmer. They were also very often the main source of medicine 💊 in the case of a snake bite, due to their heritage as healers in Indian culture.
What are snake charmers called?
Snake charmers are often referred to as:
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Snake Handlers: A general term used for those who work with or handle snakes, including charmers.
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Snake Charmers: The most commonly used term, referring specifically to individuals who perform the art of charming or mesmerizing snakes.
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Serpent Handlers: Another term used to describe those who work with snakes, particularly in a performance context.
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Herpetologists: Although this term generally refers to scientists who study reptiles and amphibians, it can occasionally be used in a broader sense to describe people who work with or handle snakes.
In traditional contexts, especially in South Asia, they might also be known as Naga or Nagajeev. The term used can vary depending on the region and cultural context.
2) Snake Charmers: How Does It Work?
A) The Snake Charmer and His Music
For tourists visiting India, the snake charmer manages to hypnotize the animal with his captivating melody. It seems that the animal responds to the call of the instrument, as if it were bewitched by a magician 🧙🏾. But this is absolutely not the case!
The reality is a little different than what you might expect: the snake is deaf and therefore does not hear the sound of the instrument. Instead, it focuses on the pungi and the player moving it, assuming that they represent a threat ⚠️. The cobra follows the movements of the flute, which gives the impression that it is dancing to the tune of the music while it is in a defensive position.
The snake thus maintains full eye contact with the instrument and the moving parts of the player, especially the hands around the instrument 👀. The cobra straightens up in an attempt to impress what it believes to be a potential aggressor, as it would do in the wild.
In addition to provoking the snake with the movement of his instrument, the snake charmer brings his instrument so close to the snake's head that the latter receives air coming out of the flute. This contributes to further irritating the animal 😡.
Finally, to "motivate" the snake to get out of the wicker basket and stand up, the flute player taps the ground with his feet. The snake, even if it is not sensitive to noise, is very sensitive to the vibrations of the ground which normally allow it to detect when a predator is approaching it.
The secret to "charming a snake" is actually to annoy it and provoke it ☹️.
B) The Cruelty Behind Snake Charming
⚠️ It is important to clarify that the following only concerns a portion of snake charmers. But unfortunately, the phenomenon is too common to concern only a minority of them.
In truth, there is absolutely nothing "charming" about this practice. The process begins with the illegal poaching of wild snakes. And although charmers always have several different snakes, Indian cobras are their favorite because of their spectacular and menacing frill well known to tourists. They thus pose the potential threat of death ☠️ by their venomous snake bite, when they perform their act. However, there is no threat and it is a total masquerade. The snake is little more than a puppet present to entertain the gallery.
This iconic folk art of India hides a very cruel truth for snakes. The illusion of the venomous snake tamed and charmed by music is often based on barbaric practices aimed at atrophying the snake.
To prevent the snake from biting, snake charmers sometimes break the fangs of the wild animal they have captured, pierce its venom glands or sew its mouth closed so that it can no longer bite them 🤬. As a result, the snake cannot eat and slowly dies of hunger during its captivity...
Since snake venom is also used for digestion, tearing out its glands condemns it in the medium term. A snake used by a snake charmer is therefore condemned to an imminent death. If you want to learn more about Snake Venom, its crucial importance for the animal and how it works, we invite you to read the very complete article we wrote on the subject.
When the snakes don't die of dehydration 🥵, they are forgotten in their tiny dark boxes, or are simply thrown back into the wild when they are no longer of use to the player. Deprived of its fangs and venom glands, the snake thus released is condemned to a slow agony, before dying of starvation a few months later.
Naturally, most people who attend these street shows have no idea what goes on behind the scenes of these performances 😲. And of course, snake charmers strongly deny accusations of cruelty to animals.
C) What to do to Stop this Barbaric Practice?
Now that we all know the horrible cycle set up by some snake charmers, it will make us think twice before rushing to take a photo 📸 if we ever travel to India, or to a country where this "art" is practiced.
Of course the local population benefits from tourism. But as tourists and travelers, we must do our best to travel with an awareness of the reality behind certain practices, in order to leave a long-term positive impact on where we go 😀.
If you ever visit India (it’s a beautiful country, we recommend it!) and you are as disgusted by this practice as we are, here are a few things to do:
Do not encourage snake charming or any other form of animal abuse for entertainment purposes
Do not pay to watch an animal perform. It gives credence to the brutality behind the scenes, encourages poaching and illegal possession of wild animals, and supports industries dedicated to profiting from suffering ❌.
u will notice that this can also apply to circuses in France 🎪, which even if they use different animals; often resort to practices that are also very brutal to ensure simple entertainment and shows.
What do snake charmers actually do?
Snake charmers perform a variety of tasks and rituals that center around the handling and manipulation of snakes. Here’s what they typically do:
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Play Music: Snake charmers often use traditional musical instruments, such as the pungi (a wind instrument) or flute, to create a rhythmic and melodic sound. The music is thought to "charm" or "hypnotize" the snake, although in reality, the snake’s response is more about reacting to the vibrations and movements rather than being enchanted by the music.
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Handle and Display Snakes: Snake charmers handle the snakes with great skill, often allowing them to crawl over their bodies or hold them up for display. They are adept at working with different species of snakes, including venomous ones.
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Perform Tricks: In addition to handling the snakes, charmers may perform various tricks or stunts to entertain audiences. This can include making the snakes "dance" by moving them in response to the music, or demonstrating their ability to control or manage the snakes.
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Showcase Traditional Practices: In many cultures, snake charming is intertwined with traditional rituals and cultural practices. The charmers might incorporate religious or symbolic elements into their performances, which can vary widely depending on local traditions.
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Educate the Public: In some cases, snake charmers also play an educational role by informing people about the snakes they handle, their behavior, and their ecological importance.
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Economic Activity: For many snake charmers, this practice is a source of livelihood. They often travel from place to place to perform and earn money through tips or fees from their performances.
While snake charming is a traditional art form in some cultures, it is increasingly viewed as controversial due to concerns about animal welfare. Many advocate for the ethical treatment of snakes and the abandonment of practices that may harm or stress the animals.
3) The Decline of Snake Charmers
A) The End of an Indian Tradition
Today, snake charmers in India are struggling to survive, while the tradition is slowly dying out. Present in Indian folklore for centuries, snake charming is today an endangered art.
While before they were running the streets, nowadays, it is not easy to find a snake charmer 🔎. And even during Nag Panchami, the annual religious festival in honor of the king cobra.Snake Charmer Alone
Despite the evolution of laws, culture and morals, some snake charmers still refuse to abandon this ancestral tradition. Snake charmers in dhoti kurtas (traditional Indian attire) and yellow turbans recently performed on a street in Delhi, and the photos and testimonies were quickly shared online 💻. These men arranged some wicker baskets in front of them and started playing pungi.
As soon as people gathered, one of them opened his baskets and three snakes stood up, waving their heads, as if dancing to the music 😕. He then approached the audience, showing the reptiles and explaining the differences between the species. But when a police officer arrived, the snake charmer quickly escaped.
This illustrates the reality of snake charmers today: a game of hide-and-seek with the police and forest authorities.
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B) The Disappearance of Snake Charming Culture
Snake charming was banned under the amendment of the Wildlife Protection Act in 1991. Indian law now prohibits catching, owning and playing with snakes ❌.
The few snake charmers who are still present on the streets and who continue to make tourists shiver are not really enthusiastic anymore. For them, this law is a big blow. Charming snakes is a profession they learned in order to feed their family, they know how to do nothing else.
For generations they have earned their living playing with snakes in the streets and villages of India, and suddenly they find themselves faced with the choice of illegality or unemployment. In addition to not being able to make ends meet, by being prohibited from practicing their art, these families of snake charmers 🐍 have lost their roots. Their oral and material heritage is slowly evaporating under the pressure of modernity.
In addition, the younger generation shows no interest in continuing the legacy, the cultural change is too great 😮. The denigrators of this practice, like the NGOs, argue that this profession belongs to the past. With the cultural change that is taking place today in India, charming snakes is no longer as lucrative as before and this profession keeps the charmers and their families in poverty.
C) Snake Charmers: Reduced to Poverty
With the cultural change and the ban on practicing their profession, the snake charmers who still practice are finding it increasingly difficult to earn a living.
In Jogi Dera, a large Indian city, a snake charmer earns about 200 rupees ($3) per day, which is not enough to support a family 🙁. More and more young villagers who had dreamed of a life as a snake charmer are resolving to go to construction sites, or to go to school.
The ban has affected about 800,000 snake charmers in India. Many of them have turned to other jobs such as pulling rickshaws, street vending, construction or agricultural labor 🌱. But according to the snake charmers' union, the overwhelming majority remain unemployed.
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Why do cobras not bite snake charmers?
Cobras do not typically bite snake charmers for several reasons:
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Familiarity and Conditioning: Many snake charmers have developed a close and familiar relationship with the snakes they handle. Through regular interaction and handling, cobras may become accustomed to the presence of the charmer and less likely to view them as a threat.
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Non-Aggressive Behavior: In the controlled environment of a performance, cobras are often less aggressive. They might be more focused on the surroundings and the vibrations caused by the music rather than being defensive or aggressive.
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Handling Techniques: Experienced snake charmers use specific techniques to handle cobras and other snakes in ways that minimize stress and reduce the likelihood of a defensive bite. This can include careful positioning, gentle handling, and maintaining a calm demeanor.
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Snake’s Behavior: Cobras, like many snakes, can display a range of behaviors from defensive to passive. In the controlled setting of a performance, cobras may not feel the need to bite if they do not perceive an immediate threat.
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Mouth Manipulation: In some cases, cobras’ mouths may be manipulated or controlled by the charmers, making it less likely for them to bite during performances. However, this is a controversial practice and can be harmful to the snakes.
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Training and Experience: Many snake charmers are highly skilled and experienced in handling snakes, which allows them to manage the animals without provoking them.
Despite these factors, it's important to recognize that snake charming can be stressful and harmful to the animals involved. Many animal welfare advocates argue against the practice due to concerns about the well-being of the snakes and the conditions under which they are kept and handled
D) Laws Against Snake Charmers
India is a developing country that is booming today. A country that is very polluted in places ☣️, the government is starting to take an interest in preserving the fauna and flora of its vast territory, sometimes under pressure from NGOs.
A 1972 Indian law prohibits the possession, handling, torture and killing of a snake (this law also protects tigers 🐯 and elephants 🐘). But it has only recently been applied in the case of snake charmers. Aware of their cultural importance, the Indian government first tried to conserve snake charmers and their existing snakes, while trying to prevent them from capturing others.
The government has also decided to implant identification chips under the skin of some snakes that were already in captivity 👳🏾♂️. This allows authorities to scan the animals and confiscate newly captured ones that do not have chips.
Snake charmers say their centuries-old tradition is slowly dying out ⚰️ as authorities seek to enforce wildlife protection laws. The key point is the total ban on the practice in 1991, heavily influenced by animal rights activists.
The Indian cobra, like most snakes, is protected under Part II of Schedule II of the Act (tigers and Asian elephants are Schedule I species and therefore enjoy greater protection). On paper, killing an Indian cobra is an offence. That is not enough. In reality, cobras found in urban areas are almost always killed ☠️ and charges are rarely, if ever, filed.
What does it mean to be a snake charmer?
Being a snake charmer involves a unique set of skills and practices related to handling and performing with snakes. Here’s what it typically means to be a snake charmer:
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Skillful Handling: A snake charmer is adept at handling and managing snakes, including venomous species. They use their knowledge and experience to safely interact with these reptiles, often showcasing their ability to control and manipulate the snakes.
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Performance Art: Snake charmers perform for audiences, often using traditional instruments like the pungi or flute to create music that is believed to charm or captivate the snakes. The performance can include various tricks, such as making the snakes “dance” or showing them off in different poses.
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Cultural Tradition: In many cultures, snake charming is an ancient tradition with deep cultural and historical significance. Snake charmers may be part of a long-standing cultural practice that includes rituals, symbolism, and storytelling.
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Economic Activity: For many snake charmers, this practice is a livelihood. They perform at public events, festivals, or on the street to earn money through tips or performance fees.
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Educational Role: Some snake charmers also educate the public about snakes, their behavior, and their ecological roles. They might provide information about the species they handle and the importance of conserving them.
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Ethical and Welfare Considerations: The practice of snake charming is increasingly scrutinized due to concerns about animal welfare. Advocates argue that the stress and conditions faced by the snakes can be harmful, leading to calls for more ethical treatment and alternative forms of performance.
Overall, being a snake charmer involves a blend of artistry, skill, and cultural tradition, but it also raises important questions about the treatment of animals and the ethics of such practices.
4) Snake Charmers Today
A) Snake Charmers and Modern Society
It is not just the law that is working against snake charmers; it is also the evolution of Indian culture.
As India becomes a middle-class country, people are now more into TV shows 📺 and video games than they are into street performers. Modernity is taking a toll on ancient traditions. These days, saperas are not making much money, as there are many other entertainment options available.
Yet, if there is anything that can be saved from the art of snake charming, it could be the music of the snake charmer’s flute 🎼. This symbolic instrument is the last hope that many former snake charmers cling to.
B) The Snake Charmer’s Flute: His Last Hope
With snakes being sent back to their natural habitat, former snake charmers are pinning their hopes on their original and folk instruments.
Handcrafted from bamboo and gourd fruits, this instrument continues to be the symbol of the snake charmer community 👳🏾♂️🐍. It is also the symbol of this unique lifestyle, and is part of India’s cultural heritage.
For the snake charmer community, this symbolism needs to be protected. But this requires state intervention and promotion. If the government does not invest in preserving the history and music of snake charmers 🎶, within a few decades, this centuries-old practice will disappear without a trace...
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C) NGOs and Snake Charmers
Today, with the decline of the profession, snake charmers are forced to find other activities in order to continue to earn a living and support their families 👨👩👧👦. With the help of animal rescue associations like Wildlife SOS, some of them are setting up 24-hour reptile rescue services in major cities like Delhi and Agra.
Any Indian who finds a snake in their home or workplace can call these professionals and have it removed free of charge 💵❌. While this service is designed to keep snakes and people safe in the short term, it also helps keep wild populations healthy.
These “new snake charmers” often work for large NGOs, and entrust them with the snakes they have captured. If the veterinarians 👩🏾⚕️ at these NGOs deem a snake healthy enough, they release it back into the wild, away from the pollution and danger of big cities.
Removing or rescuing potentially deadly snakes is no easy task. Finding people with the knowledge and experience to do it can be difficult. That’s why the help of ex-snake charmers is invaluable to NGOs 👌.
Such a partnership is beneficial to both NGOs and snake charmers 🤝. They find the opportunity to improve their living conditions, abandon a tradition that is harmful to animals, and avoid criminal sanctions for continuing this illegal activity. And for their part, humanitarian organizations help give snake charmers a chance to escape poverty, use the know-how of former snake charmers to protect these animals, and contribute to gradually reducing the number of charmers in activity 📉.
And there you have it! Now that you know in detail the secrets behind the snake charmer, you will no longer have the same vision when you see one on television or even during your travels. 😉
Snakes 🐍 are not the "cutest" and cutest animals, and they have a bad reputation in Western culture that has followed them for centuries. But snakes are also magnificent and fascinating creatures, who deserve our respect and empathy as much as any other species. All the more so since they are part of our culture: the symbolism of the Snake is the richest of all animals! 😮
Are you passionate about snakes? Us too! That's why we founded Snake Label®: to share our passion for this reptile with as many people as possible.
Whether through our Snake Jewelry or our Snake Clothing, we strive to offer a wide range of quality artisanal products, made to order 👌. The latter are aimed as much at terrarium enthusiasts as at people looking for an original style.
Dive into the fascinating world of snakes and explore our other articles now!
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