Recently we have come to know about the news of making of a new Hollywood film based on mythological concept of snake. One of Indian actors Maika Sherwat, the protagonist is depicting a supernatural snake. We have come to know the story line of the cinema. This type of cinema not only destroying the practice of good cinema but it is also creating a misrepresentation of Indian culture, history and social prestige. It will carry a wrong message to Indian people and bring unscientific notion about snake in the mind of the people. When a country like India belonging to third world has been moving towards the science and rationality then this type of film will hamper the rationalistic movement.
In India when snake charmers are moving towards the science then this type of cinema will back bite this movement. When all over the world working for awareness of snake and snake charmers then this cinema hamper the total movement. As ANACONDA displayed the half truth and some unproved myth, this cinema also performs the same.
Whereas Indian actress Mallika, dressed in a peculiar manner, is looking half human and half snake combining the features of mammals and reptiles. She is looking vulgar with colored hair and in sexy outfit. We all know snake doesn’t have hair and fingers as a duck has. but here Mallika is being manifested so. Snake is not a mammal so they don’t have barest but Mallika is a very good looking woman.
Hisss, a film is released also once again with the help of Hollywood and as well as with the support of the story of a snake girl or in-tented snake girl.
the indian bedias or snake charmers is usually deprived like past or previous in this film. Not only that, a cock and bull story of the intented snake girl is also made through the voice of a snakecharmer. Consequently, superstition is scattered by leaps and bounds.
Can be told or assure that how many days will be going on such practice by the filmmakers by using the bedias or snakecharmer forcibly repatedly in one after another film ?
How can give the indian censor board release such and unscientific film, interrogation or question may be arrisen to this effect ?
As the government has taken away or snatched off the snaks from our snakecharmer by dint of the wild animal act, as the trade ship going on in this film by showing the snakes ?
What is the reaction of the government higher officials ?
In question it is necessary to inform you that the filmmakers of the film communicated or contacted with us through email and told that they like to help the snake charmers.
Mallika Sherwat also likes to close contacted with us with the strength of support of our demand.
we congratulate or welcome her spontaneous desire. she has also established her strong protest in the publicity media over this issue. They repeatedly plan fully or motivatedly told us through email that they had informed us what to do because so that we can not protest any how. They thereafter like to utilize us in respect of the publicity. we can realize that they are engaged to gate back their returns or earnings by utilizing us skillfully with the publicity work of the film. And arrangement had also been made so that the release work of the film be accomplished without protest.
we like to say in this blogg that all are welcome to stand by in against of such deprivation. None can play drake and drakes over this poor helpless, hapless and home less bedias or snakecharmer community like this filmmakers of this film, hisss.
The Research Fellows' Association of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics organized a colloquium on "Snake, Snake Charmers and Snake Venom" at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics on 22nd September. The General Secretory of Bedia Federation of India, Shri Raktim Das was Invited to give a lecture on Snakes in India. Raktim Das discussed in detail about the anthropological evolution of Snakes and the tribes Snake charmers. He depicted the life style of Bedia Society in India. Draws the attention to the huge business regarding the snake and snake venom. He also Criticized the governments policy on the the snake preservation by making it in the wild life category. Which has made the snakes as more endangered in one hand and on the other it has make the life of the Bedia community more difficult. Snake venom is substance of multimillionaire business in international market and snake bite causes thousands of death each year in India. There is no major research initiative regarding the snake and snake venom in India. Raktim das advocated for the snake firming and research in India. Which can be a multipurpose solution 1) Economic Improvement for the Bedia community 2) Snake venom can be a great potential medical research and pharmaceutical industry 3) Firming can help to protect the reptiles from being an endangered animal. Distinguished scientists, Research Fellows and Scientific workers felt an importance of social and scientific awareness regarding this issue.
Bedia, is a community in Indian subcontinent, which are generally a nomad population. For the last 13 hundred years they are living in this vast area including India and Bangladesh.
Bedias are such a tribe, which are generally oppressed by the other member of the society. They are neglected in social system, as well as in the state or nation. There are various castes in Bedias. But, specially we know only the Bedes’ whom are ‘Snake Charmers’. Although these snake charmers are the greater portion of bedia community. However, all the bedias including the snake charmers, are living in such a vulnerable condition in health issues.
These bedias are generally ignored their diseases. They do not want to go to the physicians for their treatment. For the women in bedia family it is a major problem, their guardian always discourage them not to go to a doctor of health centre. The bedia women are forced to get married in their early ages, like 10 to 12 years. So, as an adolescent girl is not ready physically to handle the new situation which comes her teenage period of life. She suffered various ‘woman disease’ in this period. Moreover, she has to go to outside to mitigate economic crisis, during her menstrual period. It causes a massive health problem for her as well.
There is another concerning issue for bedia women, cyclic pregnancy. Family planning materials don’t reach to them and their husbands are also illiterate about the control system. So, every year pregnancy is creating serious health problem for them. Tetanus is a common health matter for prenatal baby and pregnant mother.
According to World Heath Organization, Pulse polio ratio is the lowest rate in west bengal in India. As a nomad community, bedia child is also in polio risks. Bedia mother are not interested or vaccination team does not reach to the bedia child. Malnutrition, un-hygienic good are another problems for the bedias.
As they are a nomad community, there is no data in the government agencies that how many bedias are infected and how many died in every year in various diseases. So far we have come to know that, there are not specific health program for these ethnic community. Moreover, the general health services do not reach to them. The earliest records of bedias show that they are the medicine men-women. They are also providing services for bloodletting, tooth drawing, cauterization and the tonsorial operations. With the advancement of medicine, surgery and dentistry, the bedias became less and less capable of performing the triple functions of bedia-surgeon-dentist. In India and Bangladesh, bedias do operations include hair cutting, face and scalp massaging, nail trimming, pedicure, manicure.
Several health hazards including communicable diseases and skin conditions are associated with bedias' profession to which their visitors are exposed. The diseases of primary importance linked to this profession are ringworm disease, (through direct contact), infestation of head louse, staphylococcal, Scabies (through contaminated towels, combs, and aprons) and Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and AIDS (contaminated blades and clips).
A large proportion of population is enjoying the services of bedias in our community and their place of work and profession may be a potential source of infectious diseases transmission silently in the community. Considering the grave consequences of infections especially Hepatitis B, C and AIDS, associated with this profession; awareness about these health hazards among bedias would play a vital part in prevention and control of these infections. The purpose of our study is to assess awareness among bedias regarding health hazards related to their profession and to identify practices linked with infection acquisition on their profession.
This scenario is commonly observed in India and Bangladesh. In this context, there is enough opportunity to do extensive research work in the community in both the country.
