TIRUPUR: The hat was passed around and the money pooled. However, this bunch of youngsters was still uncertain what gift their to-be-married friend deserved. That was until one of them, a snake catcher, got a call.
Speaking to TNIE, a snake catcher, Vijay from Avinashi, said, “We were planning to give a unique gift to our friend Nijanthan on his wedding. While we were still brainstorming, I got a call from a street vendor about a snake at Velayudampalayam. Immediately, I went and caught the nonvenomous rat snake. It occurred to me that the reptile could be the unique gift we were searching for. After all, Nijanthan is also a snake catcher.”
Expectedly, his idea was not well received by his parents and relatives. Only after he explained that the snake is not venomous, they were convinced. “So we placed the snake inside a plastic box and covered it with a plastic cap having multiple holes,” he added.
According to Nijanthan, while the gift surprised him, it was a shock for his wife, Haripriya. “After receiving the gift, I passed it to my relatives. However, my friends insisted that I open it immediately. Accepting their demand, as I unpacked the parcel, I found the rat snake inside a plastic box. Soon, word spread and many children queued up to touch it. Later in the same night, we released it safely into the forest.”