ASAHI SHIMBUN (Tokyo, Japan) 22 November 06 India's snake charmers an endangered species themselves (Tetsuo Kogure)
Negla Sapela, India--In this village, just an hour's drive from the exquisite Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh state, one can no longer witness a minor wonder of the world: snake charming.
Every one of the 50-household village's itinerant snake charmers gave up the age-old custom last year.
"Although I was proud of my job, I had to quit because the audience had became so small," said 75-year-old Narwarnath, a village elder.
Snake charming, long a popular entertainment in these northern regions, is losing its hold on the imaginations of modern India.
In days gone by, the sight of a lone Hindu, armed only with a reed flute and seated in front of a cobra poised to strike would instantly attract crowds.
Now, the government's reinforced wildlife protection policy and fading interest in the thrill have left former snake charmers without a livelihood.
In some villages where people lived on the income from snake charming for generations, the business has been given up entirely.
Gone, too, is the knowledge and lore handed down from generation to generation about how to deal with poisonous snake bites.
Snake charmers from Negla Sapela used to spend up to a month in New Delhi, about 200 kilometers away, or other big cities to earn money from snake charming.
As the sound of the flute began to coax a dangerous snake to rise from its cane basket, crowds would gather, wondering if and when it would strike. Sometimes, 50 or more people would gather, former snake charmers said.
The snake wasn't the only attraction. Medicinal herbs reputed to be powerful antidotes to snake venom were also sold, augmenting the charmers' income.
The decline in the business was signaled in 1972, when India enacted its wildlife protection law to prohibit the capture of wild animals. Snakes, valued for the lucrative trade in their skins, also fell under the law's protection.
However, the government turned a blind eye to snake charming, considering it a national pastime.
Years later, animal protection groups began targeting snake charmers for their cruelty to the snakes. Traditionally, after capturing a snake, a snake handler would pull out the fangs. They also confined the snakes in baskets, depriving them of free movement.
In 1998, the government finally cracked down, ordering local governments to put an end to snake charming.
At first, Negla Sapela's snake charmers resorted to traveling from town to town in search of audiences. In recent years, they have been able to attract no more than 10 people at a time, villagers said.
"People used to be really fascinated by wild cobras. But not any more. Now they can see them on TV," Narwarnath lamented.
Snake charmers in Negla Sapela were earning just 30 rupees (75 yen) a day, in comparison with the 58-rupee minimum wage for agricultural workers in Uttar Pradesh. Most became migrant workers.
Snake charmers in the region have for generations belonged to their own Hindu caste. By 1991, there were about 49,000 snake charmers, mainly in northern and western India, according to a government survey, eking out a poor existence. Out of 19 snake-charmer caste villages in Agra county, 18, including Negla Sapela, have no electricity or schools.
Meanwhile, the snake charmers' knowledge of snakes and bite treatments is widely respected. Some voices have called for preservation of their flute performances and medicinal herb knowledge.
Journalist Bahar Dutt conducted a survey of snake charmers' villages in 2004. She suggested building a snake charmers' center to retain their lore and techniques.
India's snake charmers an endangered species themselves