Snake Charmer In India Postcard

Snake charmers are all over India. Standing erect and extending the hood is a normal defensive reaction for a cobra and simply indicates the startled reaction to leaving the darkened basket or box. The snake’s swaying is actually a reaction to the movement of the charmer's instrument and sometimes the tapping of his foot. The snake cannot actually hear the music, but it may feel some of the sound vibrations and any tapping done by the charmer. Most snakes are actually timid and prefer to scare off predators rather than fight them, which explains the reluctance to attack. Snake charmers reduce the chance of being bitten by sitting just out of striking range, about one-third of a cobra’s body length. What may appear as a dangerous feat to kiss the creature on its head is in fact nearly harmless, as cobras are not capable of attacking anything above them. The snakes container plays a large part in subduing the animal, as it keeps the snake’s blood temperature down and makes it groggy. The snake returns to its container simply by the snake charmer stopping his waving motion. (Photo by: Dennis Jarvis)