Snake Repellent

 

Snake Repellent

Prasanna Dash

We live in Bhopal in a colony developed by the Housing Board on a rocky hillock with a modest green cover comprising neem, aonla, achar, chirol, peepul, palash and other indigenous trees. Every season, after the rains, we spot several snakes on the road and near the Laharpur stream, and occasionally one or two in our garden.

A few years ago, we had spotted a python in front of our home. Before it could return to the safety of the forest cover on the rocky outcrop on the bank of the little stream, several onlookers gathered quickly, and began clicking selfies using flash light, and even poked the hapless reptile. The python was distressed, disoriented, and began hissing. All it wished was to get back home. We alerted the Forest department which rescued it and provided shelter in Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal.

I told my wife, ‘We must remember and respect that this hillock and shrub forest was the natural habitat of several animals including birds, snakes, pythons, and mongoose prior to development of this colony. They have not yet abdicated their habitat for us!’

Yet, she panics upon sighting even a tiny water snake. How do you know that it is non-poisonous, she asks? What if it is not? You’re no expert on snakes.

She is right. I’m no expert. So, I give in to her demand to immediately order a packet of snake repellent, a poisonous chemical, which costs me nearly 2000 rupees. She spreads it liberally near our gate, in the garden, and other points of potential entry for reptiles.

But a single shower would wash away the chemicals, I observe sardonically, which isn’t at all liked by her.

This season, too, two or three were spotted in our porch. They were babies, not older than a month or two, I guess, and foraging for food. Rajesh, our household help was guiding a snake out of our premises, scaring it with a tap of a long stick. There was much commotion as his excited kids also joined in to see the snake’s exit. Our neighbours, too, came out to watch the scene.

After the snake slithered away from our premises, crossed the road, and vanished into the greenery, our neighbour counselled me to write a mantra near the gate.

Upon our Guru Ji’s advice, we have written the mantra, he said.  He pointed to a spot on their outer fencing wall, at floor level, where they had painted ॐ अगस्त्याय नमः।.

Incredulous, I asked, ‘After you wrote the mantra, no snake has entered your premises?’

None, he said.

I’m still not convinced. I’m sceptical if snakes can read a Sanskrit mantra written in Devnagari.

Looks like I’d continue to spend money on snake repellent.

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Note: 

• Author's profile may be seen at http://amazon.com/author/pkdash
• Books by this author are available on Amazon.in, Kindle eBook, Flipkart, and Notion Press, Chennai.

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