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? |