THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 20 September 06 He keeps snakes out of houses - `Snake Shyam' claims to have caught over 40,000 snakes (Sharath S. Srivatsa)
Mysore: As the city grows rapidly residents of new extensions always have in mind one man. The growth of the city has seen a spurt in the number of snakes entering houses. The services of "Snake Shyam" alias M.S. Balasubrmaniam, a self confessed snake catcher is also on a rise in new areas such as Srirampura, J.P. Nagar, Rajeev Nagar, Vijayanagar, Hebbal and others.
For the 24/7 service that he renders, "Snake Shyam" is always on the move taking whatever mode of transport is available to him. At Gowrishankar Nagar at the foot of Chamundi Hills "Snake Shyam" carefully trapped a cobra.
It was the 15,000th snake that this maverick snake catcher had trapped in the last 10 years after he started maintaining a logbook.
From the first cobra he trapped at his neighbour's house in Brindavan Extension in 1982, "Snake Shyam" claims to have caught over 40,000 snakes of over 30 species. Among those venomous and non-venomous snakes include Cobra, Viper, Saw Scaled Viper, Krate, Trinket, Sand Boa, Bronze Back Tree Snake, Keel Back, Green Wine, Striped Keel Back, Wolf Snake, Python and others. The snakes rescued have been released in Bandipura, Titimathi, Gopal Swamy Hills, Malai Mahadeshwara Hills and other forests in the surrounding region.
After his first catch, "Snake Shyam" was called in to trap the reptile whenever there was a scare in the vicinity. His work increased after he acquired a pager in 1993, as residents from all over the city started sending him messages of snake sightings and sought his help.
Nowadays, "Snake Shyam" receives around 15 calls a day and on traps around eight snakes a day. Throughout his journey, his best companions have been a snake hook and a broken badminton racket that he uses to trap venomous and non-venomous snakes. He has also had his brush with danger and in the last 24 years of has been bitten by cobras thrice and once by a Saw Scaled Viper. The work of "Snake Shyam" has also many youths. On the advice of former Rangayana director Basavalingaiah "Snake Shyam" has conducted hundreds of demonstration shows at schools to create awareness about the reptile. "Snake Shyam" could be contracted on 94480-69399.
He keeps snakes out of houses