BHOPAL: A folk ballad narrating the tales of two legendary warriors, Alha and Udal, has now been adapted as an educational supplement to teach villagers in Madhya Pradesh’s Bundelkhand region how to prevent and treat snake bites to save lives.
As heavy rains cause snakes to slither into human settlements, the South Panna division of MP Forest Department has taken this innovative approach to prevent fatalities caused by snakebites.
The culturally resonant folk song composed and sung in the traditional Bundelkhandi narrative (valorous storytelling) style of ‘Alha’ has been penned by noted poet Dr Suresh Srivastava ‘Saurabh.’
The song conveys vital information in simple Bundeli lingo about the risks of snakebite, preventive measures and timely-appropriate anti-venom medical treatment (within 3 golden hours from the snakebite).
The song particularly educates snakebite victims to rush for medical treatment instead of approaching the tantriks (faith healers for treatment).
The specially composed song’s audio version will be disseminated widely through the village forest committees and social media platforms to ensure that it reaches the remotest and vulnerable communities effectively.
“Alha is a very popular folk music genre across the Bundelkhand region. By blending local folk music with modern awareness messaging, this public outreach initiative aims to adequately educate people and minimise incidents of snakebites and associated deaths. Our campaign stands as an exemplary model of how traditional art forms can be harnessed for life-saving awareness and public health communication in rural India,” DFO-South Panna Forest Division Anupam Sharma told TNIE on Tuesday.
But it’s not just the storytelling power and emotive connect of Alha folk music which is being used by the South Panna Forest Division (spread in 1.80 lakh hectares dense forest area) to educate people about snake bites.
The World Snake Day on Wednesday will also be marked by the distribution of two specially designed Snake and Ladder games in schools of the region.
“The two specially designed games creatively present important DOs and DON'Ts related to snakebite incidents using symbolic cartoon illustrations on ladders (positive actions) and snakes (risky/incorrect actions). The snakes featured in the game represent India’s most deadly venomous species—Cobra, Russell’s Viper, and Common Krait, which are responsible for the majority of human deaths due to snakebites in Madhya Pradesh. The design also incorporates Gond tribal art motifs, adding a local cultural touch to the games,” Sharma added.
“Annually Panna district reports over 60 deaths due to snake bites. Our awareness initiative aims to educate rural communities—especially children and adolescents—about the dangers of snakebite, dispel myths and superstitions, and promote scientifically proven first aid practices. It is a creative, participatory step toward protecting lives and building resilience in snakebite-prone regions,” he maintained.