A Different Story

Hello Friends, Hope you have enjoyed my previous stories. Today, I am here with you with a new story. This is quite a different story from the previous ones. Though its also a travel story very much associated with Ranigunj-Asansol-Dhanbad-Panchet belt, but this story has an other appeal. And which is very important too in today's scenario. As today is Nagpanchmi, a very special occasion of eastern Indian states such as West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand or Chhattisgarh, this story has a special significance. So friends, go through this story thoroughly. Hope you will have fun, and also you will get a very important learning. Lets start the story...

        Till date I have come to you with stories of different places, sometimes it may be historical, sometimes mythological, and sometimes stories about a village and or a temple. Today's story is about a person, who is working for a long time in giving lessons about conservation of wildlife to common villagers and tourists. He started his work in a garage and today owns the largest snake park in Jharkhand and West Bengal. He is Mr Mubarak Ansari, a snake rescuer from Panchet village of 

Common crait

 (Kalaj in bengali, Domna chiti in Hindi)

Dhanbad Dist, Jharkhand... To visit the Mubarakji's Panchet Snake Park, you have take the service road from Panchet dam and enter the Panchet village. And while you are in this circuit, its a real pleasure to visit this place. You will get a solid knowledge about different snakes and their habits and habitat.

        In the snake park, the snakes you will see are those rescued by Mubarakji from nearby locality. Mostly common rat snake, spectacles cobra, monocled cobra, Common Wolf snake, Common crait, Kukri snake, Indian python and green vine snake. Sometimes Russels viper, Green pit viper or Branded crait. Other than snakes you will see some birds, a pet Monkey and a pet hanuman langur.. But the main is the way Mubarakji tells tourists about different snakes. 

        Those snakes rescued by him are taken to this Snake park for few days and then they are relocated to the nearby jungles in Panchet Hills. In the intermediate 2-3 days they are kept in the park for enthusiasts and tourists. One can just buy a Rs20/- ticket to the park and have a life time experience and achieve a great knowledge of environmental conservation.

        We all know that snakes are a very important part of the food chain in our ecosystem, but our unnecessary fear, superstitions, too much intolerance to environment has made many of their species in the verge of extinction. By cutting trees all over we had made in hard for snakes like Green vine snake, Green pit viper, Ornate flying snakes to thrive. As tree is their habitat they are in the position of habitat loss. These snakes are either non-venomous, only Green pit viper is mildly venomous, though gives dry bites generally. But they helps us more as they helps to reduce the population of different lizards, which are dangerous if they fall on our food. 

A baby Spectacled Cobra (Gokhra)

        According to Mubarakji, Snakes are our god-gifted friends. They helps in controlling the population of mouse, poisonous frogs, many insects, and lizards by eating them. Snakes like Branded Crait (Sankhamute) or Russel's Viper (Chandrabora)  helps in controlling the population of smaller snakes like common crait or common spectacled cobra (Gokhra). Gokhra or Kalaj lives in human dwelling places, specially in thatched roof of mud houses. Kalaj is a very thin snake, which even can thrive in bedcovers or mattresses. Maximum number of human death due to snake bite is associated with kalaj. On the other hand, Russel's viper or Branded Crait, though highly venomous, they generally does not comes to human dwelling area. Branded Crait usually does not bite human. So, they are our friends. But our unnecessary fear and excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticide has made them endangered species. 

Mubarak Snakesaver with an

 Indian Python

        Mubarakji and his efficient team is doing a great work in this area by visiting local villages and small towns and teaching youths about identification of different snakes, their habits and also telling them to save snakes and come out of different superstitions regarding snakes. In his every visit to a house for snake rescue job he teaches that don't go to Ojhas or gunins while in case of snake bite. In case of snake bites it is must to go to the Govt Health Centres or hospitals. A timely treatment can save lives. Ojhas can be useful in case of bites of non-venomous snakes or dry bites of  mildly venomous snakes. But in case of venomous snake bite, a treatment by an Ojha or gunin can be fatal. 

        According to Mubarakji, only 5% snakes in India is venomous but snakes are the most feared animal in the country. This fear leads to superstitions and unnecessary killing of snakes. Actually snakes avoid large mammals like humans and cattle. Their venom is nothing but modified saliva containing zootoxins which helps in digestion and defense mechanism. Humans are not their prey so their venom is not meant for humans. They bites only when they are irritated or accidentally hurt. But there are many cases in the country where people dies of snake bite and the snake associated with the bite is either non-venomous or very mildly venomous. The reason behind this is fear and creation of a fearful atmosphere by friends and relatives of the victim. So, it is very necessary to eradicate unnecessary fear, which is the main reason for man-snake conflict. An eradication of this fear through proper scientific approach is beneficial for both humans and snakes too, as a large number of snakes every year is killed due to superstition. And this fear and phobia is the sole reason behind such superstitious idea.

Branded Crait

        There are Indian festivals like Nagpanchmi, dedicated to the Snake goddess, Devi Manasha. In this ritual, it is a tradition to feed snakes with milk and banana. This is a typical superstition that Devi Manasha will be pleased by feeding snakes with milk. If you try to please Devi Manasha please don't feed a snake with milk or banana. They are harmful to snake, as snake can't digest milk and high potassium and magnesium content of banana too is harmful for a snake. By this foolish act many snakes are killed or injured very badly. The snake goddess can't be pleased by such foolishness. If you want to please Devi Manasha, please plant a tree, don't apply harmful pesticides in farmlands, don't kill snakes when the enter your house or surroundings; call the forest authorities or local snake rescuers they will take it and relocate it to a safe place and give place to this beautiful creature to live. By this you will please Devi Manasha and also do a few good work for our mother nature. 

        So friends, how is this one? Hope you have enjoyed this new type of story. Comment me what is your view regarding saving snakes. You can comment me here and also my facebook page Traveller Raja.. I thoroughly go through all your comments and try to reply everyone, as your comments give me a lot of enthusiasm. You can also watch videos on Snakesaver Mubarak on his youtube channel. If you are nature lover, you will enjoy it and help him in his war against superstitions. 

       And obviously plan to visit this place when you will visit Maithon or Panchet area. It is a must visit place in this circuit. You will enjoy a lot. I had enjoyed very much.... So, now let the Covid situation comes to normal have a plan for this trip...

Pet Hanuman Langur

 

        So, today its over.. I will come back with a new story very soon. Stay connected with this page. Good night and stay safe. And before leaving take the oath in Mubarakji's way.. "Saapon ko bachaiye, jungle ko bachaiye, per lagaiye apni ilaka me, Isse paryavaran baachega." That is, Save snakes, save the wildlife and forests, plant trees in your house and surroundings. By that you will save our mother nature...

Thank You, and good night..