Sapera

Sapera is a name given to the snake charmers of India. Since the introduction of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 the Sapera's numbers have been dwindling - what was in the thousands is now limited to only a few hundred. Their professions and their religion are slowly being 'phased out' by a law that was put in place to stop the illegal skin/fur trade. Many Sapera practice their trade/snake handling based upon their following of the God Shiva - depicted with a Cobra.