📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Shonagon
Religion
140-year-old ‘Snake Court’ tradition observed in Sehore during Diwali Padwa
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 09 Nov 2026, 07:31 PM
👁 13
In Lasuadiya Parihar of Sehore district, a 140‑year‑old ritual known as the snake court is performed on Diwali Padwa, featuring folk music and claims of snakes communicating with devotees.
Sehore district’s Lasuadiya Parihar village revived a centuries‑old ritual on Diwali Padwa, when locals gathered for the so‑called "snake court" that dates back roughly 140 years. The ceremony, which has no formal judges or lawyers, is conducted on a makeshift platform where participants sway to the rhythm of a traditional Kandi drum while invoking the presence of snakes believed to deliver messages to the community.
Organisers describe the event as a blend of devotion and folklore, asserting that the snakes, drawn to the ritual space, appear to respond to the chants and music. Spectators often report hearing what they interpret as the reptiles' "dialogue," a claim that fuels both reverence and curiosity among villagers.
Scientists and wildlife experts, however, caution that the phenomenon is likely a cultural interpretation rather than a literal communication. They emphasize the need for caution when handling snakes, especially during festive gatherings, and suggest that the ritual’s endurance reflects deep‑rooted local beliefs rather than empirical evidence.
Organisers describe the event as a blend of devotion and folklore, asserting that the snakes, drawn to the ritual space, appear to respond to the chants and music. Spectators often report hearing what they interpret as the reptiles' "dialogue," a claim that fuels both reverence and curiosity among villagers.
Scientists and wildlife experts, however, caution that the phenomenon is likely a cultural interpretation rather than a literal communication. They emphasize the need for caution when handling snakes, especially during festive gatherings, and suggest that the ritual’s endurance reflects deep‑rooted local beliefs rather than empirical evidence.