I live, work and travel frequently all around India, and have often come across the intriguing tradition of "Snake Charmers".
India has a spiritual relationship with snakes, unlike the Chinese, who just eat them. In India, snakes are both feared and revered, and are often seen with Charmers at markets, who play a melody to make the snake 'dance'.
Apparently, the secret is that the snake moves in response the swaying of the snake charmer, not the music. The Cobra is deaf to the snake charmer's pipe, but follows the visual cue of the moving pipe and it can sense the ground vibrations from the snake charmer's tapping. Despite this slight trick, it is still amazing that the Indian Cobra, one of the most deadly snakes on earth, can be used in this manner.
The Indian Cobra is revered in Indian mythology and is now protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (despite this, it is still often seen in markets and temples around India). Sheshnag is the Preeminent Serpent, a giant snake deity with multiple cobra heads. Cobra's have also been portrayed coiled around the Hindu god Shiva's neck, and are worshipped during the Hindu festival of Nag Panchami.
