26 J. H. Eivott-Carnac — The Snake Symbol in India. [No. 1, 



The village where I was encamped was rich in Tandahs, mat-enclosures 

 of betel leaf cultivation. The Baris who cultivate the betel-creeper or 

 Ndglalli or Cobra-creeper, as it is called, are, from their constant contact 

 with the Nag-creeper, supposed to be on terms of friendship and to have 

 influence with the snakes, and are often invoked to assist in curing persons 

 who have offended, and who have consequently been bitten by the snake 

 deota or deity. Besides the mantra given above, a remedy employed 

 by the Baris is, I was told, to slap on the mouth the person who brings 

 the news of the accident ! These Baris are generally snake-worshippers, 

 and as snakes are often found in the cool, well-watered and covered enclo- 

 sures, in which the delicate creeper is grown, this desire to keep on good 

 terms with the deity may readily be understood. I find too that I noted at 

 the same time that those who worshipped snakes also worshipped the ant-hills 

 or mounds of earth thrown up by ants. The holes of these ant-hills are held, 

 correctly or incorrectly I cannot say, to be full of snakes. I should like 

 further information on this point and would enquire whether the worship 

 of ant-hills may not be on account of their pyramidical shape and hence 

 connection with Siva worship ? 



The " Nag panchami" or 5th day of the moon in Sawan is a great fete 

 in the city of Nagpiir, and more than usual license is indulged in on 

 that day. Bough pictures of snakes, in all sorts of shapes and positions, 

 are sold and distributed, something after the manner of Valentines. I 

 cannot find any copies of these queer sketches, and, if I could, they would 

 hardly be fit to be reproduced. Mr. J. W. Neill, C. S., the jjresent Commis- 

 sioner of Nagpur, was good enough to send me some superior Valentines of 

 this class, and I submit them now for the inspection of the Society. It 

 will be seen that in these paintings, some of which are not without merit 

 either as to design or execution, no human figures are introduced. In the 

 ones I have seen, in days gone by, the positions of the women with the 

 snakes were of the most indecent description and left no doubt that, so 

 far as the idea represented in these sketches was concerned, the cobra was 

 regarded as the phallus. In the pictures now sent the snakes will be seen 

 represented in congress, in the well known form of the Caduceus or 

 Esculapian rod. Then the many-headed snake, drinking from the jewelled 

 cup, takes one back to some of the symbols of the mysteries of bygone 

 days ? The snake twisted round the tree and the second snake approaching 

 it are suggestive of the temptation and fall ? But I am not unmindful of 

 the pitfalls from which Wilford suffered, and I quite see that it is not 

 impossible that this picture may be held to be not strictly Hindu in its 

 treatment. Still the tree and the serpent are on the brass models, which 

 accompany this paper and which I have already shewn are to be purchased 



