Chapter 2: A Snake Charmer's Story
कहानी सपेरों की (कालबेलिया एवं जहरीले सांप)
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- Only 4 types of poisonous snakes exist in India: Cobra (नाग), Common Krait (करैत), Russell's Viper (दुबोइया), Saw-scaled Viper (अफाई).
- Snake fangs: A poisonous snake has 2 hollow teeth (fangs/विष-दंत) through which venom enters the bloodstream.
- Anti-venom serum: Medicine for snakebite is made from snake venom itself and is distributed at all government dispensaries.
- Kalbeliyas (कालबेलिया): Traditional community of snake charmers who treat snakes as family treasures gifted during weddings.
- Musical instruments used in Kalbeliya party: Been, Tumba, Khanjiri (made from dried bottle gourd / लौकी), and Dhol.
- Trap: CBSE includes non-poisonous snakes (Python, Rat snake) in the poisonous list. Correct: Only 4 venomous snakes (Cobra, Common Krait, Russell's Viper, Saw-scaled Viper).
- Trap: CBSE states snake medicine is prepared from plant roots. Correct: Anti-snake venom serum is manufactured from snake venom itself.
- Trap: CBSE states Kalbeliya instruments use metal. Correct: Been, Tumba, and Khanjiri are made from dried bottle gourd (सूखी लौकी).
NCERT Core Facts: Snakes & The Kalbeliya Community
NCERT Class 5 EVS Chapter 2 discusses the symbiotic relationship between the traditional Kalbeliya nomad community and snakes, correcting superstitious myths with biological and legal facts.
1. The 4 Venomous Snakes of India
Out of hundreds of snake species found in India, only 4 types are poisonous (venomous) according to official NCERT curriculum:
- 1.Cobra (नाग): Distinctive hood; neurotoxic venom.
- 2.Common Krait (करैत): Slender, dark with white crossbands; highly nocturnal and neurotoxic.
- 3.Russell's Viper (दुबोइया): Triangular head, loud hissing sound; hemotoxic venom that destroys tissue.
- 4.Saw-scaled Viper (अफाई): Smallest venomous viper; makes a rasping sound by rubbing serrated side scales.
2. Anatomy of a Snakebite & Medical Remedy
- Two Hollow Teeth (Fangs): A snake injects venom through its two hollow teeth (called fangs / विष-दंत). When it bites, venom travels through these fangs into the victim's bloodstream.
- Anti-Venom Serum (एंटी-वेनम सीरम):
- The life-saving medicine for a snakebite is made from the snake's venom itself.
- The serum is made available in all government hospitals and primary health centers across India.
- Farmers' Friends: Snakes are considered friends of farmers because they eat rodents and rats in crop fields, preventing food grain destruction.
3. The Kalbeliya Community & Cultural Heritage
- Snake Charmer Heritage: Kalbeliyas treat snakes as their prized ancestral treasure, which they pass down as a bridal gift during daughters' weddings.
- Kalbeliya Dance: The dance movements closely imitate the swaying motion of a snake.
- Musical Instruments in Kalbeliya Performances:
- Been (बीन)
- Tumba (तुंबा)
- Khanjiri (खंजरी)
- Crucial NCERT Detail: Except for the Dhol, all other three instruments (Been, Tumba, Khanjiri) are constructed from dried bottle gourd (सूखी लौकी)!
4. Government Wildlife Protection Law
- The Wildlife Protection Act prevents people from catching, keeping, or exploiting wild animals.
- While the law aimed to prevent animal cruelty and illegal poaching of snake skins, it disrupted the traditional medicinal and entertainment livelihoods of Kalbeliyas, who traditionally identified herbal forest remedies based on snakebite marks.
Test Your Mastery: A Snake Charmer's Story
Authentic CBSE exam questions tested directly from this NCERT chapter.
Which of the following is the correct set of poisonous snakes found in India as per NCERT Class 5 EVS?
एनसीईआरटी कक्षा 5 ईवीएस के अनुसार भारत में पाए जाने वाले जहरीले सांपों का सही समूह कौन सा है?
In a Kalbeliya musical performance, which of the following instruments is made from dried bottle gourd (Lauki)?
कालबेलिया संगीत में निम्नलिखित में से कौन सा वाद्य यंत्र सूखी लौकी से बनाया जाता है?
How many hollow teeth (fangs) does a poisonous snake have for injecting venom into human tissue?
जहरीले सांप के जहर डालने के लिए कितने खोखले दांत (विष-दंत) होते हैं?
Which four poisonous snakes are found in India according to NCERT Class 5 EVS?
According to NCERT Class 5 EVS Chapter 2, only four types of venomous snakes are found in India: Cobra (नाग), Common Krait (करैत), Russell's Viper (दुबोइया), and Saw-scaled Viper (अफाई).
What material is used to make the Been, Tumba, and Khanjiri in Kalbeliya music?
Except for the Dhol, the Been, Tumba, and Khanjiri are crafted from dried bottle gourd (सूखी लौकी) as documented in NCERT Class 5 EVS.
How is snakebite medicine (serum) prepared in India?
Anti-snake venom serum is manufactured directly from the venom of poisonous snakes. It is distributed across government public health centers and hospitals.