Spatial Diversity and Narratives of a Decaying Culture: Jhāpān Serpent Festival of West Bengal, India

Folk festivals, embedded within a distinctive geographical space, reflect the socio-cultural uniqueness through their vibrant symbolic elements. West Bengal, a culturally diverse state, hosts numerous folk festivals predominantly associated with the identities of various social groups. Such a critical folk festival is Jhāpān, a long-celebrated tradition of snake charmers in Bengal. The festival never fails to echo local tradition through exhibitions of a wide range of performances, from snake charming to ethnomedicinal practices and ritualistic performances, as well as various acts of entertainment by the snake charmers. Nevertheless, it is of great concern whether the festival is gradually dying out within the ever-changing social and administrative landscape or being remoulded. The purview provided an opportunity to delve into the origins and etymological dimensions of Jhāpān, explore its cultural extent, and delineate its transition. The findings highlight that, despite constant hindrances, the festival is gradually disappearing. It questions the survival of the cultural distinctiveness that the geographical space has carried for centuries.