Snake charming

People play music for snakes.

They use a flute made from a gourd. The snake moves to the music. It looks like magic.

This is a very old job. In India, it is a family trade. Children learn it from their fathers.

Snakes do not have ears. They cannot hear the music. They follow the moving flute instead. The snake thinks the flute is a threat.

Some charmers also act as healers. They know how to treat snake bites. They may also sell magic spells.

Many charmers travel to towns. They visit during big festivals. It is a very special skill.

Snake charming is an old way of performing.

A charmer plays a flute-like tool called a pungi. This tool is made from a gourd. The charmer waves the pungi around. A snake, like a cobra, comes out of a pot. It looks like the snake is listening to the music. But snakes do not have outer ears. They cannot hear the sound. They only follow the moving pungi. The snake sees the tool as a threat. It moves to watch the object.

In India, this is often a family job. Children learn the skill from their fathers. Some charmers are also healers. They know how to treat snake bites. They may also sell magic spells.

This job is changing today. In India, a law passed in 1972 made owning snakes illegal. This makes it hard for charmers to work. Many charmers now travel to small villages. They visit during big festivals or market days. Some charmers also sell jewelry or charms to make money.

Snake charming is a traditional way of performing that looks like magic. A performer uses a flute-like instrument called a pungi to move a snake. This instrument is often made from a gourd. To many people, it looks like the snake is listening to the music. However, snakes do not have outer ears to hear sounds. Instead, the snake follows the movement of the pungi. It sees the moving tool as a threat or a predator.

The performer often sits cross-legged on the ground. They might wear a white turban and necklaces made of beads. They use baskets or pots to carry the snakes. This skill is often a family job passed from fathers to children.

There are many different ways these performances work. In India and Pakistan, charmers might use cobras. In North Africa, they might use the Egyptian cobra or a puff adder. Some charmers use dangerous methods to stay safe during a show. They might remove the snake's fangs or venom glands. This is called venomoid surgery. Some charmers even sew the snake's mouth shut. This is done because people in some areas believe the tongue delivers the venom. Other performers in the West use pythons or boas. These snakes are not venomous, so they are safer for circuses.

This tradition has a very long history. The earliest evidence comes from ancient Egypt. There, charmers acted as magicians and healers. They studied many types of snakes and how to treat bites. These experts even worked in the royal courts of Assyria and Persia. In India, the practice is linked to the sacred Nagas. Many Hindu gods are shown under the protection of a cobra. Early charmers in India were often traditional healers. They were called upon to remove snakes from people's homes.

The early 20th century was a golden age for this craft. Governments used these shows to bring in tourists. Charmers even traveled overseas to perform at festivals. They also helped create medicine called antivenin from snake venom. However, things changed in India in 1972. The government passed the Wildlife Protection Act. This law made it illegal to own or sell snakes. This was meant to stop the export of snakeskins. Because of this law, the practice has declined rapidly in India.

Today, snake charming is very different than it used to be. Many charmers in India must live a wandering life. They visit small villages on market days or during festivals. Some charmers belong to groups like the Sapera or the Bede. They may sell jewelry or magic spells to make money. Some people suggest new ways for them to work. They could become professional snake handlers for gardens. Others suggest they should be treated like street musicians. This would allow them to focus on their music instead.

Snake charming is a traditional performance art that creates the illusion of hypnotizing a serpent. Performers use a flute-like instrument called a pungi, or sometimes a been, to guide the animal. While it looks like the snake is listening to music, snakes actually lack outer ears to hear sound. Instead, the snake tracks the movement of the pungi. The reptile views the moving instrument and the person as a threat. It reacts to the pungi as if it were a predator.

To perform, a charmer typically carries snakes in baskets, pots, or sacks. These containers are often hung from a bamboo pole slung over the shoulder. Once a location is chosen, the performer sits cross-legged on the ground. They may wear a white turban, earrings, and necklaces of beads or shells. The charmer removes the lid of a container and begins playing the pungi. If the snake is a cobra, it may extend its hood as it emerges.

Different regions use different types of snakes for these displays. In India, the Indian cobra is a preferred species, though charmers may also use Russell's vipers. In North Africa, performers often feature the Egyptian cobra, puff adder, or horned desert viper. Western-style performers use different animals entirely. They often use pythons or boa constrictors because these species are not venomous. These Western shows usually involve dance routines rather than musical instruments.

Safety is a major concern during these performances, leading to several controversial methods. Some charmers use venomoid surgery to make the snakes safer. This process involves removing the fangs or incapacitating the venom glands. It can also involve severing the duct between the gland and the fang. In some North African traditions, charmers have stitched a snake's mouth shut. This practice stems from a belief that the tongue delivers the venom. Other methods include drugging the snake or keeping it dehydrated for 30 to 45 days to make it sluggish.

The history of snake charming is very old. The earliest evidence comes from ancient Egypt. There, charmers acted as magicians, healers, and entertainers. They studied snake types and learned how to treat bites. These experts were sometimes employed in the royal courts of Assyria and Persia. Modern snake charming likely originated in India. In Hindu tradition, serpents are considered sacred and are related to the Nagas. Many gods are depicted under the protection of the cobra.

The early 20th century was a golden age for the profession. Governments promoted the practice to attract tourists. Charmers even traveled overseas to perform for private patrons and at festivals. They also provided a valuable source of venom for creating antivenins. However, the practice declined rapidly in India after 1972. The government passed the Wildlife Protection Act to prevent the export of snakeskins. This law included a seven-year prison term for owning or selling snakes.

Today, the profession is changing due to legal restrictions. In India, the practice is almost extinct because of the 1972 ban. Many charmers now live a wandering existence, visiting villages during festivals. Some belong to specific groups, such as the Sapera or Sapuakela castes in India. In Bangladesh, the Bede people often perform by traveling along rivers. Because of the law, many charmers must now sell jewelry, amulets, or magic spells to survive.

There are many ideas for how to support these traditional performers. Some people suggest training charmers to be professional snake handlers. They could help remove venomous snakes from gardens in cities and suburbs. Another idea is to treat charmers as street musicians. This would allow them to focus on their music rather than the animals. Despite the decline, the tradition remains a significant part of the history of South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.