(India) Cobra liberation/VSPCA and Hindu Article

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Nagavala Chauthi 2006: Visakha SPCA

COBRA LIBERATION CONTINUES SUCCESSFULLY:

 

For the festival time which began in the afternoon of 25th Oct and ended by 10

AM 26th Oct., 2006 we kept a strong vigil and even previous to this every effort

was made to visit the area namely Kasimkota which is 50 kms from Visakhapatnam

and where the main snake charmers come from or the people who catch snakes and

sell them to the people who want to make a fast buck.

 

The snake people of Kasimkota have now totally disbanded their profession for

the main reason that they have been losing people dying of the snake bite while

catching them for this illegal purpose. Their chief died last year bitten by

his pet " cobra " and his second in command also died when he tried to capture a

cobra from the pit. These two deaths and our raids have made them to stop this

seasonal illegal occupation.

 

On the 26th morning with the coordination of the Forest Department with a total

survey and watchful vigilance we have not recorded any incident. However,

there maybe a very stray incident of people who are not aware of this illegal

catching for religious pruposes and we maintain a watch out for them.

 

Suffice it to say there was a lot of change from pouring milk , rubbing

vermillion, bursting crackers, lighting incense sticks, offering eggs and

sweets, the entire main roads blocked to now a colorful organised display of

people offering to a pit or makeshift pits or in their houses of a snake god.

 

We are positive that over a period of time even the stray incidences will be

reduced and the influence already is spread over all the neighbouring areas. We

are extremely thankful to The Conservator of Forest, Mr. P.V.Padmanabham and his

staff for their ready help in curbing this practice.

 

Pradeep Nath

www.visakhaspca.org

 

Date:27/10/2006

 

http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/27/stories/2006102706060200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

 

Thousands worship snake-god

Nagula Chavithi celebrated with great fervour across the city

 

 

 

 

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a.. Devotees throng Railway New Colony, AU campus and Old Town Area to

offer prayers

a.. Snake pits strewn with `kumkum' and flowers

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VISAKHAPATNAM : The streets wore a festive look as hundreds of devout

women carrying milk and other puja items observed `Nagula Chavithi' here on

Thursday.

 

Nagula Chavithi is celebrated on the fourth day after Deepavali that falls

on a new moon day. On this day women and children observe a fast and worship the

snake god to seek protection. Some complete the ritual at home by placing a

picture or image of a snake.

 

After daybreak, brightly dressed women along with their families gathered

around snake-pits and poured milk and offered eggs on the pits to seek blessings

from the snake god. Snake pits were strewn with `kumkum' and flowers as devotees

thronged areas like Railway New Colony, Andhra University campus and Old Town

Area to offer prayers. As part of the ritual, some devotees dropped eggs into

the pits.

 

Illegal activity

 

 

Others offered sweets made of sesame and jaggery. Some of them burst

crackers in the hope of bringing out the snakes from their pits. It was a field

day for urchins who arrived at the pits and took away handfuls of offerings made

by the devotees.

 

Every year, just a day before Nagula Chavithi, large hordes of snake

charmers make beeline to the city from Anakapalle and neighbouring areas. They

spread all over in the city to seek money from people who wish to offer milk and

eggs to the snakes. Despite the fact that their occupation has been declared

illegal, and even after repeated raids conducted by animal activists and the

Forest Department, the snake charmers stubbornly continue with their traditional

occupation.

 

According to Laxmi who comes to the city during the festival every year

from Anakapalle, snake-charmers from the neighbouring areas of the city and the

agency area keep snakes in captivity and clandestinely bring them to

Visakhapatnam during Nagula Chavithi. " If someone is willing to give us money,

we take out the snakes and let them do the puja and get the satisfaction of

feeding the snakes live, " she says as she quickly hides the snake inside the

bag.

 

However, with the strict vigilance enforced in the city, it's no longer an

easy task for them.

 

Sustaining themselves on the basis of this has become quite difficult.

Hence, once the puja is over, they send the children to collect eggs from the

snake pits and sell these to the roadside eateries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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