🐍Snakes of West Bengal🐍
We often fear snakes and the consequences of snake bites. A little awareness and knowledge regarding this topic would help us greatly in dealing with such situations. This thread provides an overview of the common snakes of West Bengal & related topics.
🐍Keute/Padma Gokhra 🛑 (Venomous)
The Monocled Cobra (Naja kouthia), found near wetlands, marshes, grasslands, and humid habitats, is a highly venomous snake. It is diurnal as well as nocturnal in nature.
🐍Kalach 🛑 (Venomous)
The Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus), found near paddy fields, water sources, human habitats, and gardens, is a highly venomous snake. It is mainly nocturnal in nature and usually attacks when struck or hurt.
🐍Gokhra 🛑 (Venomous)
The Spectacled Cobra (Naja naja), easily identified by the spectacle mark on its hood, is usually present near paddy fields, termite hills, and rodent burrows. This highly venomous snake is diurnal as well as nocturnal.
🐍Dora Sankhini Keute🛑 (Venomous)
The Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus), identifiable by its unique body color and stripe pattern, is highly venomous and can be found near lowlands and wetlands. It is mainly nocturnal, of calm nature, and a good swimmer as well.
🐍Chondrobora 🛑 (Venomous)
The Russell's Viper (Daboia russelii) is mainly found near rocky areas, scrublands, paddy fields, and hedges. It is primarily nocturnal, slow-moving, and its attacks are very swift.
🐍Kalnagini 🟠 (Mild Venomous)
The Ornate Flying Snake (Chrysopelea ornata) is an arboreal snake, diurnal in nature, found in parks and gardens. They can expand and flatten their bodies, which helps them glide.
🐍Laudoga 🟠 (Mild Venomous)
The Vine Snake (Ahaetulla anomala) can be identified by its bright green color, although other variations are also present. They can be found in bushes, bamboo farms, and crevices. They are seldom found on land, being experts in camouflaging.
🐍Metey 🟠 (Mild Venomous)
The Rainbow Mud Snake (Enhydris enhydris), as the name suggests, is mainly found in water bodies and marshlands. It is diurnal and aquatic in nature, and is normally docile.
🐍Puye/Kecho/Dumukho 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Brahminy Blind Snake (Indotyphlops brahminus) mainly lives in holes and burrows. It looks like a big earthworm and excretes a foul-smelling substance when threatened.
🐍Moyal 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Indian Rock Python (Python molurus), extremely long in size, resides in rocky and dry areas, forests, and wetlands. It is nocturnal, a swimmer, and devours small animals.
🐍Hele 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Buff Striped Keelback (Amphiesma stolatum), found near paddy fields and water bodies, is diurnal in nature and of calm temperament. It secretes unpleasant excreta when irritated.
🐍Jawldhora 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Checkered Keelback (Fowlea piscator), mainly found near water bodies, is an expert swimmer, both nocturnal and diurnal in nature. It moves in winding postures and catches fish.
🐍Cheeti 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Common Wolf Snake (Lycodon aulicus) is found around human habitats and is a much ill-tempered snake, an efficient climber. It feeds on lizards and geckos.
🐍Udoykal 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Banded Kukri Snake (Oligodon arnesis) is found in degraded forests. It is nocturnal in nature, and while its bites are painful, it is usually calm in nature.
🐍Danrash 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa) is long in size and common in paddy fields, coastal areas, and rocky places. It's a fast climber, agile, and diurnal in nature. It devours small animals and other snakes.
🐍Betachra 🟢 (Non Venomous)
The Bronzeback Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis tristis) is diurnal and arboreal. It swells its body for defensive behavior and is highly agile in nature. It consumes small birds and reptiles.
Snake attacks can be broadly categorized into three categories. Some snakes wrap up their prey tightly to prevent circulation and respiration. Some deliver a lethal bite, injecting venom to neutralize or even kill. Some just assume a position to demonstrate the strike.
Even some snakes devour their prey alive.Snake venom can be classified into different types based on their action. Haemotoxin prevents the normal functioning of blood clotting mechanisms. Neurotoxin blocks nerve impulses. Cardiotoxin causes attacks in cardiac muscle, & myotoxin.
Snakes are found in almost every habitat, so it's important to prioritize safety. The majority of snake bites are non-venomous, but every bite requires immediate first aid treatment. Don't rub the bitten area; keep it calm and still. Cover the bite with a cloth & gently wipe it.
Obtain antivenom serum from the nearest healthcare center without delay. Avoid the cut and suction method for wounds, which could lead to severe tissue infection. Most snakes are calm in nature. Try to avoid disturbing snakes and their nesting places.
Regularly clean bushes and spread carbolic acid in areas if you reside in a snake-infested area.Don't believe in myths spread about snakes. charmers. Avoid treatments from charmers after snake bites.
Snakes serve as significant upper-level predators and play an important role in ecosystems and the food chain. They control the populations of amphibians, rats, lizards, and other pests. They have medicinal uses and serve as a food source for apex predators.
Therefore, snake conservation is crucial. Some snakes are endemic to certain regions. Killing such snakes or engaging in commercial activities related to them is a criminal offense.
If you encounter a distressed group of snakes, contact the nearby rescue team. Snakes are among the most misunderstood creatures in the world, so more awareness is needed about them.
**Pictures collected from internet.
When discussing the Snakes of Bengal, Manasa is the presiding deity of snakes. Legends associated with the deity occupy a significant role in the folklore and indigenous culture of the region. You can check out our thread on this topic at
Disclaimer - This thread is based on some of the most common snakes of West Bengal. There are several other snakes in the state with different local names. Herpetology is a vast subject. For a deeper understanding & more information, consult books on this topic. Thank you
🐍END🐍
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Not a close friendship, neither a duel. But a complex connection, taking twists through cheering for mutuals to clashes, & differences, a respectful extraordinary tie as we look into the bond of Indian cinema icons, Satyajit Ray & Ritwik Ghatak.🧵
Face of Indian cinema globally and filmmaker’s filmmaker, pillar of parallel cinema. While Ray has spoken about storytelling, human emotions, diverse narration, Ghatak has made statements on subaltern society, offbeat norms, introduced new technicalities & evocative commentary.
Different languages of cinema, but the duo had a very interesting set of equations in reality. Ray recalls meeting Ghatak first time initially during early film society meets. Ghatak heard Ray had been making a film for years, gathering little funding with multiple halts
Kachagolla Kotha 🧵😋
Subtle, simple & elegant this close dry sibling of Roshogolla has been celebrated across ages, with a dedicated royal following from Rani Bhabani to Queen Victoria, hailed among the best of Bengal's sweet platter, from Rabindranath to Sanjeev Kapoor !
carrying even a partition shift in its journey too. The thrilling trace of Kachagolla has its own legacy!
Historically, finest Kachagolla is said to have originated & popularised from Natore, as legend say, later spread to Bongaon as its hub in Bengal with a partition connect.
The origin story of Natore’s Kachagolla too isn’t very different from Jobhora or Roshogolla, much coincidental wonder to say. The origin story is tied to a century-old sweet shop run by Madhusudhan Pal in Natore, when one day his workers were absent.
Long before Khudiram, Kolkata saw its first extreme penalty in a controversial conspiracy trial under colonial rule in 1700s against a Bengali king, over a pearl necklace, so much so that Bengalis took a dip in Ganga in his remembrance!
Maharaja Nandakumar Roy, the philanthropic noble native Bengali king, was made the purposeful victim of a judicial conspiracy by the colonial administration to take down his rising influence, the first of its kind in Bengal, yet he did not give up, showing incredible valour.
It was mainly the tussle between Hastings and Nandakumar, and the equation of power, which marked Kolkata’s first ill-famed judicial assassination. Nandakumar originally hailed from Birbhum’s Bhadrapur. His father served as Amin to Murshid Quli Khan.
What connects 18 time Grand Slam champion, 7 time Olympian, tennis icon of India, Leander Paes, directly to the 19th century maverick Bengali playwright Michael Madhusudan Dutta, and to Jessore & Madras? Sounds impossible, let’s connect the dots
Michael Madhusudan Dutta’s ancestry hails from Jessore, Bangladesh, from village of Sagardahi. His father was a wealthy aristocrat, a well known advocate in Dewani Court, proficient in Persian, which earned him both possessions and popularity.
Influenced by colonial lifestyle & culture, Madhusudan embraced Christianity after coming to Kolkata, joining Hindu College, for which he was eventually debarred from his ancestry. In 1848, finding limited opportunities, Dutta moved to Madras for a living.
Not only the meat-loving monk, Swami Vivekananda’s foodie voyage goes far beyond. From running food clubs to experimenting with recipes and hyping Indian cuisine abroad, this is a take on the culinary enigma of Swamiji.
On Vivekananda’s death, a popular daily wrote, The meat-loving monk passes away! A close associate of his jokingly remarked that he had preached Vedanta & biryani equally abroad. Swami Vivekananda considered physical activity & proper diet as two core principles of survival,
hence, he never imposed any dietary restrictions, rather endorsed variety & food freedom himself was an explorer of cuisines. It's said after giving diksha to followers, Swamiji first remarked, “From today you are free to eat all the 36 types of rice dishes with meat and fish!”
When Bengal's iconic Kirtan caught Jesus's message 🧵🎄
If you visit Nadia on a winter morning, then you would probably come across a band of singers singing kirtan across the roads, but not of Lord Krishna or Chaitanya Dev, rather addressed to Jesus Christ !
Indeed, there exists a separate musical segment in Bengal of verse kirtan dedicated to Christ in Bengali, known as Khrishto Kirtan or Jisshu Pala Kirtan.During winter, these singers, with their harmonium, kartal, flute, sing these kirtans in morning processions across roads.
From a distance, tunes may sound similar to prevalent popular Vaishnav kirtan, but on closer listening, it's seen the lyrics are dedicated to Jesus, tales from his life. Lyrics like “Ishonandan Jishu Bhobe holen abotaar.” But how indigenous Vaishnav kirtan get its Jesus version?