What? Two Cobras Are Found In The Complex Where I Reside

Note: So frightened am I of all manner of slithering reptiles (even uttering the word gives me the heebie-jeebies; seeing images is a guaranteed nightmare), the closest image I could muster was from the classic Shelby auto.

The Never-Forgotten Tale

My brother's terrifying cobra encounter remained vividly implanted in my gray matter several decades after its occurrence. 

While working in various desolate, seemingly god-forsaken, and oft politically unstable locations throughout the world in the '70s' and '80s, in a jungle somewhere, he'd come upon an upright hooded King cobra in full splendor standing five feet. 

Myriad accounts abound of their ability to spring erect and face a full-grown adult in the eye...as if anyone would be crazy enough to remain that close.

He recounted it as the most terrifying experience of his life. I never ever forgot it. As petrified as I am of all of that group of reptilia, the mere image was indelibly seared into my psyche. 

A Phobia 

"Phobia" is less fashionable these days in therapeutic settings. Nevertheless, I prefer the term over "anxiety disorder" or current in-vogue terminology. It remains listed in the DSM-5, the definitive bible of mental health diagnoses of the American Psychiatric Association. 

It is a word we understand. It means extreme fear. Common phobias include fear of spiders, dogs, closed spaces, heights, flying, blood, and snakes. No niceties or softening; I don't have a disorder. I'm flipping petrified of s-----, a phobia since childhood. 

Raised in the midwestern United States, garters were an occasional presence in rural grasses. I avoided the area for days if one was spotted in our yard. 

Most of my adulthood was spent in Arizona, a southwestern state bordering California on the Pacific Ocean. Rattlesnakes were commonplace in our deserts. Never in four decades did I ever espy one. Miraculously, I never saw or heard (usually you hear a rattler first) any, despite regularly hiking in the Phoenix mountain preserves.

Because I'd never heard of snakes in populated areas, I avoided living in the desert or nearby mountain preserve areas. A friend who did, however, found a rattlesnake in her garage. So squeamish I was hesitant to visit her thereafter. One also found its way into my brother's 6-foot-high solid block-fenced desert backyard. 

India

Upon heading to India in 2012 on my first spiritual quest, I remarked to a friend who'd been there several times, steeling myself for the potential paralyzing horror, "Great, I'm off for my India journey. There'll probably be snakes in the ashrams."

Reassuringly, she consoled, "I never saw any snakes in India."

Whew! She was right. 

Aside from the quintessential snake charmers for tourists outside the Pink Palace in Jaipur, I glanced only from afar despite reassurances they'd all been defanged; I saw no other slitherers.

Rishikesh's Jungles

India had captivated my soul. After the first trip, I returned thrice more.

In 2019, I resided in Rishikesh, a mesmerizing pilgrimage city on the banks of the sacred Ganges nested against the Himalayan foothills. It's a destination that once people discover, they return to again and again.

I was fortunate to have scored a fabulous apartment in a desirable complex with stunning mountain and river vistas from the front and back terraces. Having resided there twice previously, I knew the development well. 

Indians love hyperbole. Hence, I had largely pooh-poohed the locals' tales about the "jungle" up the hill and across a major thoroughfare. To me, they were woods or forests, but certainly not jungles. That term conjured up Vietnam War images of months with torrential blinding sheets of rain. Or the depths of the Amazon…but even the Amazon is called a rain "forest." 

The Cobras

No words can describe the abject panic that punctured my soul from his uttered question.

I'd been shopping in Kumar's shop. Because he lived a few doors away, he offered me a ride back on his motorcycle. We'd just maneuvered the steep winding driveway from the street, entering the complex past the guard station, when he ever so casually inquired, "Oh, by the way, did you hear they found two cobras here?"

"What?" I shrieked, freezing in my seat, "Are you serious? Where?" Petrified at the mere hint of any snake…let alone a damn cobra, or two…anywhere near the vicinity of my peaceful abode was beyond any realm of a "WORST CASE SCENARIO." 

Kumar's reply was blase, "Oh, don't worry, they won't hurt you." I tried explaining my terror of any and all snakes, but he had no comprehension. 

Indians, particularly Hindus, maintain an unorthodox perspective because of the symbolism of myriad creatures enmeshed in the representation of their gods. For example, the most common portrayal of Shiva - a major of the Hindu triumvirate - is with a deadly hooded cobra wrapped around his neck (one reason he's never been my favorite). 

Ants, spiders, cockroaches, monkeys, lizards, termites, and mice. No problem. I'd experienced those at hotels, ashrams, and apartments, including here. This was way different! 

Nearly apoplectic at the mere image of snakes nearby, I dashed inside, purchases in hand, and didn't set foot outside my flat for the remainder of the day. 

Imagining their location, I assumed they'd be hiding in the verdant grassy areas or tucked around shrubbery. My sizeable rear terrace, with an open slatted metal gate, fronted lush gardens of manicured lawns, tropical flora, a lotus pond, graded stairs and walkways, and compact seating areas. 

The fears continued: Couldn't a snake crawl onto my marble deck via the rear gate? Of course. Couldn't I step out in the morning to find one? Of course. What if one got inside my house? My immediate reaction was that I'd have to move. I couldn't possibly remain there fearful and anxiety-ridden. 

In full Nancy Drew investigative mode the next day, I sought out a young staffer. Indeed, he confirmed two snakes had been found, one in the upper section and the other in ours. But again, I was advised, "not to worry because they'd been placed in sacks and returned to the jungle." 

My obvious, logical follow-up query was: If they came down once, a repeat appearance wasn't an impossibility. And, who knew how many kilometers or how long their slip-and-slide joyride had taken them? Or the time they'd already been hanging around before their discovery. And how do snakes reproduce; could they already have left some babies behind? 

He, too, was unfazed, reassuring me they only came down during the rains. Hmmm, but it hadn't been raining. Another typical aspect one became accustomed to in India was obtaining either non-sensical answers to inquiries or outright fabrications. 

By then, in further typical Indian fashion, the story had changed. The cobras had morphed into a different variety, likely a less deadly species, to calm the residents with small children who routinely played outside and rode their bikes. 

Regardless, the reptile class mattered not to me. I was petrified. 

When querying further about the location so as to be more watchful when outdoors, I learned that noooo, it wasn't found out in the gardens. It was sunning on the cement slab patio of the ground unit, directly next door to me. I lived one floor up. 

My heart missed several beats! Fear quickly became outright panic. I barely exited my apartment for days. And never after dark. When venturing out, I carried a stick and was ever vigilant.

Move or Stay

I contemplated moving and investigated possible options. I spoke with my friend Sanjeev, who reassured me the snakes' presence wasn't a common occurrence. Indeed, I'd never heard of any from two prior stays in the development. 

Despite not having occurred before, no one could explain why cobras, whose natural habitat was in the jungle, had slithered into a busy, heavily human-populated property. 

Ultimately, after a couple of months, I did move to an area farther removed from the jungle. I hadn't heard of snake sightings there and never did during my remaining stay. I slept much better.

Your time is valuable! I'm honored that you spent some of it here.

Victoria 🙏😎 

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