Speaker 1:

People like Suphal make a living from people like me. It's the perfect marriage, the bizarre weaving a spell for the curious. Today I'm planning to see a famous Hindu temple, blending in with local pilgrims to ensure a hassle free visit.

Okay so the plan is a little flawed.

Delhi's hawkers get 10 out of 10 for persistence but the good traveller is never diverted, never that is until bitten by curiosity.

How can one not be charmed by the siren call of Suphal's flute and by a horrid fascination for his wares.

Snakes have got a certain fatal attraction haven't they?

Suphal's been charming cobras out of their baskets since he was a kid. It's been a family business for generations.

Interpreter:

He says they play the music to get the snakes in a good mood.

Speaker 1:

Are they in a good mood?

Interpreter:

Happy?

Suphal:

Yes. Happy.

Interpreter:

Are they happy now?

Suphal:

It's happy because of the music.

Speaker 1:

Happy perhaps but the cobra seems less charmed by cameraman Ron Foley.

(Laughter)

Suphal:

No problem. No problem.

Ron Foley:

Yeah yeah just a little surprise.

Speaker 1:

But this is a killer snake right?

Interpreter:

Yeah this is a viper!

Speaker 1:

Now the viper for instance is a nasty little brute and the prudent charmer has a bag of tricks to deal with the odd inevitable bite.

Suphal:

If you apply this the snake's bite will have a reduced effect.It'll make a man unconscious for an hour or two at the most but he won't die.

Speaker 1:

This stuff is also useful if you're bitten and even if you're smitten.

Suphal:

There are a few others tricks used to charm the snake and bring it under your control.

Speaker 1:

Whilst snakes hold an honoured place in the Hindu religion I think it's only natural for anyone brought up with Genesis to find them just a little unsympathetic.

Speaker 1:

That is truly truly creepy. Horribly fascinated I make the fatal mistake of asking the charmers how they catch their snakes and so begins an odyssey.

Okay Suphal. Have a look at your village eh?

I should have checked first how far off the beaten track we had to go and probably by what various modes of transport.

Charmers I discover have a little secret for whiling away long trips they stick their hand into a basket and get a nice little bite. The result? Well provided they choose the right snake they drift away on a gentle high for a couple of hours.

Okay Suphal so is it the King Cobra in the left and the poisonous viper in the right or is it the other way round (laughs).

Snake charming is not a big income earner but it does support Suphal's family and in fact everyone else in the village.

Suphal:

All these children you see will all get into the same line of work and those who are bright and take to reading and writing might even end up getting an education.

Speaker 1:

If Suphal's kid is proved bright enough for school it'll spell the end of a long family tradition. This one?

Suphal:

Reena.

Speaker 1:

Reena? Hello Reena.

Suphal:

This one Raoul.

Speaker 1:

Raoul. Whoops.(Baby cries). And this one? Your daughter?

Speaker 1:

Well this is it we're off on the big snake hunt and this is all we've got to protect ourselves with otherwise it's just hands and bare feet with snakes that can kill you in 10 minutes flat. Oh yes, we've also got a bit of music to charm them.

We're soon hot on the trail

Suphal:

We play the Baja (a special flute) as this makes the snakes in the jungle get excited. This tune is called 'Nagin' because it makes the snakes joyful.

Speaker 1:

Frankly it's ll proving a little too easy for my liking. The place seems to be crawling with snakes

Suphal:

This is what you'd call a real Cobra. It is very dangerous. It can kill a man in about 10 minutes with it's bite.

Speaker 1:

By now brave Ron Foley the cameraman is beginning to wish he was back on a war front as he tracks gingerly with our heroes deeper into the undergrowth.

Speaker 5:

Come quickly come quickly.Hold it.

Speaker 1:

Snake charmers never harm their prey and they always set them loose after a few months so that they won't die in captivity.

Suphal:

Look sir we've stumbled upon another snake in the jungle.

Speaker 6:

You've caught it.

Suphal:

Okay touch. No no problem.

Speaker 1:

Touch?

Suphal:

No no problem.Okay this. Very good.

Speaker 1:

Very good. Whoa. Okay you take him back now. You take it back.

Suphal:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

Ha, well eat your heart out David Attenborough we've been here what 40 minutes, we've got 4 snakes and we haven't come more than about 20 metres into the bush so I think it's probably time to quit while we're ahead.

Never did make it into the temple in the end. Still, I had a picture postcard taken for you all the same.

Speaker 7:

Say cheese

Speaker 1:

Looks good doesn't it?