Sri Lanka’s Traditional Snake Charmers Vanish as Their Nomadic Culture Declines

In Sri Lanka, the once-common sight of men playing flutes beside cobras—an art practiced by the Ahikuntika, a nomadic group also known as Sri Lankan Telugus—has become increasingly rare. Historically, these performers traveled between towns, earning a living through snake and monkey shows while women engaged in fortune‑telling. The community’s itinerant lifestyle, marked by temporary settlements and hand‑drum announcements, has faded, leaving fewer opportunities for the craft. A 75‑year‑old retired teacher recalled seeing snake charmers near markets in his youth, a memory that underscores the cultural loss as the tradition wanes. The decline reflects broader shifts in Sri Lankan society and the changing relationship between people and venomous cobras, which are both feared and revered.