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Dhaka Day by Day

The Lure of the Snake Charmer

by Parveen Anam
They have figured tn *ongs and love stories. No film of yester year* was complete without the snake charmer, called tn to revive the heroine or the hero, and restore them back to title. to the haunting tunc of the snnke charmer, anti the snake winding its way In and out of the bushes, to do the needful.
Wonder* o( medical science was defeated, a* the charmed Hute summoned the snake.
which then sum-BM*4 the poison ■nd revived the mortal human to his original self. i.c. jumping about and singing In the case of the movie* or faUltig Into the arms of his lost love.
So far so good: but what docs not fall to surprise us today Is the belief with which the snake charmer is utilised to pul everything right
A case of snake bite In the rural or cas certainly warrants an SOS to the eternal charmer to dilute Ihc poison with his charms. But in the urban areas too. we arc not deprived of these charms. as is evident, from the occasional •nake charmer, roaming the *trecls. with his flute and of poisonous
It gives one hours of enjoyment, to just stand around and watch the little sna-
keman' call his faithful out of the bag or basket, ■nd set them to work.
Il Is fascinating, as the snakes wriggle out of their abode and dance away to the lilting tunc of the charmer. It Is one of the very few attraction* left over from yesteryears The snakes come from the shrubbery of the surrounding country side, the charmer will inform you they arc deadly. In fact, many a charmer will nonchalantly tell you that hi* father or grandfather was a victim of the very snake he had taken for a pet. You wonder immediately what happened to his curative power*. which he so adroitly uses with his customers
I Yet better Judgement prevail* and | you keep your mouth shut, (or a change. Ask no questions
। and you will be told . no lies — that Is the I order o( the day.
The snakes thrive on a diet of milk and bananas, you are tn-
| formed. And usually | under the bed of the , master lie only puts them in hl* basket, when he goes about his business
1 If he is not using I them to cure the victims of snakebite. he is using them to dance to the utter delight of the adoring crowd, which Is bound to gather around, as soon ns the first haunilng tune of the 'bin' come floating through. Young ano old alike love to gather and watch fascinated, as the charmer makes the snakes move gracefully to the tunes played on the flute.
There Is a certain trepidation, unders-
tandably. as the snakes move around, but the faith tn the control of the man over his snakes Is total, and many a soul has gone away, humming ihc tunc to himself, after a performance from the ever fascinating snake charmer.