State governments plans to revive the practice of feeding milk to Cobra during Nag Panchami has got activists discussing on the social media groups about the impact it would have on the species.
Environmentalists and wildlife experts have strongly opposed the state government’s reported move to revive the practice of live cobra worship on Nag Panchami, calling it cruel, outdated, and illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act.
The controversy arose after Forest Minister Ganesh Naik informed the state legislative assembly that he would discuss the possibility of reviving the live cobra worship ritual following public demands to bring back the banned tradition. The development has c
Field experts warn that such a move would endanger cobra, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and undo the progress made in preventing animal cruelty.
Noted herpetologist Mrugank Prabhu expressed concern, stating that the practice causes significant harm to snakes and violates legal protections. “There is no need to revive a ritual that directly affects the well-being of a protected species,” he said, adding that the Bombay High Court had earlier ruled against live cobra worship and had directed the state to educate tribal communities on safer, symbolic alternatives.
"Concerns were voiced on the inhumane methods used by snake charmers in the past. Snakes don’t drink milk. But charmers would remove their fangs and venom glands, starve them, and then force them to lick milk which is toxic to snakes. It’s a barbaric practice,” said BN Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation. The activist instead has sought from the government to prioritize education over revival of rituals.
Recalling her past work with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), environmentalist Jyoti Nadkarni said hundreds of snakes were rescued during Nag Panchami and Mahashivratri festivals. Many were found suffering from pneumonia and dehydration, often caused by forced milk feeding and prolonged starvation. “The 2006 ban was a blessing in disguise for these animals,” she said, urging the Centre to reject any proposals to reintroduce live cobra worship.
Activists also urged the government to focus on addressing the socio-economic issues of tribal communities, such as poverty, lack of clean drinking water, healthcare, and education, instead of reviving harmful traditions. “Worshipping idols of Nag Devta is a far more respectful and harmless way of preserving cultural rituals,” the environmentalists concluded.
