Elevenses

MY HOODED NEIGHBOUR

Monday, 31st January 2017, just after noon, I had collected my lunch box and was stepping into my car when a woman walking down the road came to me, pointed behind her and said in an excited voice "Haavu!" (Kannada for "Snake"). I didn't catch on immediately but then she turned round and pointed. Just across the street, less than 50 feet from my house. I walked across and looked. At first I couldn't spot him because he was so well camouflaged. But when I looked closer, I could see him, about eighteen inches of him that had emerged out of a rat hole, facing away from me. His half open hood was as large as my fully open palm, maybe even larger! The "Naamam", the distinguishing mark on the rear of his hood, of two circles joined by a U-line, like a pair of spectacles on the salt-and-pepper speckled scales, was clearly visible. Naja naja! 

Was he taking in the sun? Was he checking out his territory? Did something disturb him? He remained in that position for a good 5 minutes or so, not making any sound (that "hiss" can scare a person into immobility), not turning around, not moving at all, allowing my daughter and me to snap off quite a few pics on our mobile cameras from almost, but not quite, hand shaking distance. Then, perhaps satisfied that the sun was shining down brightly and all was well with the world, he downed periscope and slid back into the hole.

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