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Amidst the rich paddy fields on the outskirts of Tumgaon village near Mahasamund, Chhattisgarh lays a small hamlet of Snake catchers belonging to a sub-caste of Gond tribe, called the Saur Gond’s. There are around 40 households and each of them has snakes more than the number of members residing in it. It’s been named Jogidera after the former chief minister of Chhattisgarh Mr. Ajit Jogi.

During my recent visit to this hamlet, I came across some traditions followed by this tribe. As it was a quick trip, I had very less time to spend with them and learn more about it. Yet there are few which I found interesting to share with you all.

In this tribe, for example, during marriage instead of giving in kind or in cash for dowry, the bridegroom is gifted with 21 snakes. They believe 21 to be a holy number and it’s been practiced since ancient times in their culture. After receiving all these 21 snakes, the bridegroom’s family leaves it back to the jungle. They keep a few of them to show to people during festival season like Nagpanchami, during which they travel all across Chhattisgarh.

They teach their children the tricks of handling snakes at a very young age and instead of toys they have it to play with. Through syringe the catchers take out the venom and then teach them about it. They also use wild herbs if bitten by snake and before going to any place to catch venomous snakes, they take it as a precaution medicine.

When I visited this hamlet there were hardly any men, as most of them do labor work and were out of the hamlet during day hours. The kids showed me some of the poisonous snakes including spectacled cobra, krait and common sand boa (non-venomous) which are shown above.

I hope to visit this hamlet in future again and document more about it.

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