Yesterday was the 15th night of the month of Shabaan (the night following the 14th day). According to Islamic belief, it is the holy 'Laylat al-Bara'at' (Night of Deliverance). It is known as the night of forgiveness and blessings. It is believed that on this night, matters such as one's lifespan and sustenance for the coming year are decreed, and the Almighty forgives sinners. On this night, special prayers (Namaz), Quran recitation, dhikr, and supplications are increased. Fasting during the day is Sunnah. (Sunnah means something to be followed, but it is not mandatory. There is no punishment for not performing Sunnah acts. Mandatory duties are called 'Fardh'; the Holy Book states there is divine punishment if these are not strictly observed). Because it was Bara'at, my evening prayer (Maghrib) was delayed as I was chatting with my daughter through the CCTV camera my wife had placed in the room after the sunset Quran recitation. I quickly went into our bedroom to pray. By then, it had grown quite dark. I heard people talking outside the boundary wall. Suddenly, I heard them calling me. I peeked out the door. Those outside warned me that something had crawled near the flower pots.
Hearing this, I was confused. I quickly decided what to do first. On the sit-out, I always keep two small plastic spray bottles: one with diesel and another with a thick mixture of salt water, vinegar, and bleaching powder. Taking the diesel bottle in my left hand and a sturdy stick—about the size of a police baton—kept near the bike, I began searching inside the compound. I have extensive knowledge from reading, and have seen firsthand, that the heavy stomping of footwear, the vibrations from a stick, and the smell of diesel spray will either flush out or repel reptiles. Kerosene is even better than diesel. If poured on their bodies, they will strike their tails on the ground and flee like an arrow in a frantic struggle. In that moment of deathly panic, they might even leap toward us. Garlic application does not bring any immediate change in reptiles.
I asked my wife to turn on the master switch for the lights. The surroundings became brightly lit. People outside the compound suggested checking under the car. My son and his wife are currently visiting various foreign countries for their software AI firms in Technopark; they only arrive by flight at midnight tonight. If the 'Bara'at' guest seen near the pots isn't cleared out, fear and danger will persist. The fear won't vanish without deporting the visitor. I struck the ground and the car's tires firmly with the stick and used the spray. I became certain the guest wasn't in that area.I told my wife to open both gates. If a desperate situation arises, one needs the help of cooperative neighbors. Our house is always kept with both gates locked from the inside. This was the habit in the city and within the family. Usually, there would be Gurkhas for guarding, or one would have to pay for 'Group 4' security. Unlike the old days, one cannot enter a house suddenly without prior permission. The time between 10:30 AM and 4:00 PM is when scammers and thieves often try to enter homes. Children are at school or college, and masters of the house are in offices. Many people wander near houses—scrap collectors, mat and curtain sellers, beggars, notice distributors, old clothes collectors, encyclopedia salesmen, or utensil sellers. There may be thieves among them, or good people. Who knows who they are? It is during these times that media reports reach me about everything from child abduction to murders for robbery. Similarly, housebreaking and related murders occur between 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM. As migrant laborers numbered in the millions, criminals also increased.
For many years, I have kept a heavy iron rod within reach under the bed near the window, and elsewhere, a guava wood stick with a long nail driven into it. My elders taught me that if my mental state is good and I am not ill, I should run to help if I hear a cry or noise nearby. Leave the legal consequences of such actions to the Creator of the universe. Once, a prominent politician shouted that if I didn't listen, he would plant a bomb in my house and put everyone behind bars. Another time, when I filed a case regarding a motor accident, a newsreader at the time and a gang of rowdies threatened to cut my throat and hang me in front of Palayam University College. Later, that man played small roles in movies, became a father to four girls (a couple of whom became actresses), and lost an election. Back then, I had those who needed to do it give him a good knock on his head. He likely hasn't forgotten how he came wandering after me for a settlement once he realized who I was.
Locking the gate doesn't mean everything is secure; anyone can easily jump over a wall. However, if someone's presence is detected inside the compound despite the gates being locked, one must realize they aren't just a passerby jumping in for a drink of water from the garden tap. Understanding that life is in danger, one must scream to gather people and call 112 for help. Police help will surely arrive. It is frightening to see toddlers running into long-locked, abandoned houses during the evenings to play. The road is not a playground. Their playground should be within the house walls or on the terrace. In this day and age, children should not be out of sight for even a moment. It’s not just cobras—today, there are real "snatching pythons" everywhere. Some might think, "A boy went missing in Alappuzha, a girl in Kozhikode, what's that to us?" For those who sit idly thinking the children are just playing in the next yard or on the road, yesterday's incident is a sign shown by the Almighty.
Now, let’s go back to seeking our reptile. I walked to the back of the house searching for the guest. I moved forward, spraying diesel heavily and creating vibrations. After four or five steps, near the area where the overflow water from the tank falls, behind a wall pillar, there was a loud hiss. A very large cobra with its hood spread—the size of two palms—showing the 'V' mark. Had it not been for the hiss, the spread hood, and the glint in its eyes, I would have been in trouble. I slowly took a step back without much movement. I called out loudly, "It’s a big King Cobra, standing with its hood spread!" This was a precaution so everyone would hear. In case the guest struck and fled, there would be no need to scramble to identify the species for anti-venom. Due to the pungent smell of the diesel, it lowered its hood, crawled back slowly, and lay coiled near the wall of two houses. Before I could call the 112 police control room for help, it slithered away, spooked by the noise and commotion of the gathering crowd. Note: According to the Wildlife Act of 1972, [harming such creatures] carries a penalty of 3 to 7 years in prison and a fine of ₹25,000. Palayam Nizar Ahamed Copyright reserved to the publisher.
Author: Palayam Nizar Ahamed(M.Nizar Ahamed) writer| Journalist |Blogger| Poet| Editor-in-Chief Breaking|Flash News|Bulletindaily|Breaking news, investigative reports ,editorial writings
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