Today is World Snake Day. You might well ask why a day has been set aside for snakes. In fact, snakes are not as dangerous as they are thought to be; they could even be called somewhat harmless animals. There are about 3,500 species of snake in the world. That is no small number, but only a handful of them are venomous.

It is for these innocent-looking snakes that 16 July is marked as Snake Day. Because people are afraid of snakes, there are many frightening stories about them. When a friend betrays us, we call him a "snake". Many other negative ideas about snakes are also common in our society.

Long before modern researchers learned about the many species of snake, the reptile appeared again and again in ancient mythology. Snakes were an integral part of various religions. In Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) snakes are considered gods and are worshipped. The Egyptians also regarded snakes as gods, which is why they felt safe drawing a snake on the forehead and even wearing jewellery shaped like snakes.

According to Irish mythology, in the fifth century Saint Patrick went to a hilltop where he fasted for 40 days. During this time he was attacked by snakes. To protect himself, he ordered his followers to drive all the snakes of Ireland into the sea. That, supposedly, is why Ireland is free of snakes today, though the story is entirely a legend.

In another legend, the Chinese believe that huge white snakes live under water, and regard them as water gods. You have probably watched many Chinese dramas along these lines, in which the water god falls in love with a human. The Chinese make these dramas out of such legends and beliefs.

They believe that a great white snake goddess of the water fell in love with a man and came to the human world to marry him. The two had a son. A monk then trapped the goddess beneath the Lakeside Pagoda. She later turned into a demon and began attacking people.

Folk tales like these have often shown snakes in a negative light, and many legends and films have portrayed them as frightening and evil creatures. Snake Day was mainly started to change this perception.

Greek mythology introduces Medusa, a goddess whose hair was made of snakes, countless snakes writhing on her head. The English word "snake" comes from the Old English word "snaca". The reptile is thought to have descended from land lizards that existed around 174.1 million to 163.5 million years ago. Eophis underwoodi is the oldest fossil snake; it lived in England about 167 million years ago.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.