When the door of one of the temples in the Ganjam district, Odisha state, was opened, the priests were stunned by what they saw. Inside the temple was a huge royal cobra about 12 feet long, which instantly changed the atmosphere of the place. The priest did not dare to enter and immediately notified the forest department.
This incident occurred at the Ratnei Temple, located in Chikiti Gadha. After receiving the report, a team from the Snake Rescue Service arrived at the scene. After about an hour of intense work, the giant royal cobra was safely captured. During the rescue operation, the team exercised extreme caution, wearing bags over their shoes to respect the sanctity of the temple and the feelings of the devotees.
It was evening prayer time. When the priest approached the temple and opened the door, his gaze fell upon the giant snake inside. The snake was unusual, and its size shocked the priest. This royal cobra, about 12 feet long, made the priest decide that it was best to step aside rather than enter the temple. He reported this to the Chikiti forest department. The news quickly spread through the surrounding areas, and a crowd gathered near the temple. However, people were kept away from the snake because the royal cobra is a highly venomous snake, and the slightest carelessness during capture could be dangerous.
After notifying the forest department, members of the local Snake Rescue Service arrived, including Ramchandra Sahu and his colleague Jagnata Sahu. Both assessed the situation while inside the temple. Catching the snake was not easy. Considering the temple's location, the snake's size, and nature, all actions required extreme caution. The rescue team began slowly trying to gain control of the snake. This work continued for about an hour, and eventually, the team managed to safely capture the giant royal cobra.
Photos and videos of this rescue operation attracted special attention from the public due to one detail: the Snake Rescue Service members were wearing shoes, but bags were placed over them. This was due to two reasons. The first concerned the cleanliness and sanctity of the temple. Since the rescue took place inside the temple, the team wore bags over their shoes to maintain the dignity of the temple complex and respect the feelings of the believers. The second reason was related to safety. Protecting their feet was necessary during the rescue of the royal cobra. The shoes and bags served as an additional barrier. Thus, the rescue team took care of both capturing the snake and respecting the religious sentiments of the temple, as well as their own safety.
Another curious scene was observed during the rescue. The sound of drums could be heard near the temple, and the royal cobra stared in the direction of this sound for some time. For those present, this became a subject of curiosity. It seemed that for a moment, the giant snake's attention was diverted from the rescue operation towards the drums. Although drawing scientific conclusions about snake behavior is a separate matter, experts do not believe it is accurate to say that snakes enjoy music like humans do. They are capable of sensing vibrations in the ground and the surrounding commotion. Therefore, a reaction to the vibrations caused by the sound of the drums is quite probable.
After the rescue, the biggest question arose: how did a 12-foot royal cobra end up inside the temple? No clear reason has been identified. Since there is a lot of greenery and natural areas around the temple, the presence of snakes is not considered unusual. Perhaps the royal cobra came from the surroundings into the temple, where it found a safe place. Royal cobras usually hunt other snakes. However, the exact reason for entering the temple has not been confirmed. As soon as the news of such a large venomous snake appearing in the temple became known, panic arose among the local residents. People worried that the snake might move to another part or appear in front of the devotees. But after the arrival of the Snake Rescue Service team and its careful rescue, people felt relieved.
The incident of the snake appearing in the Ratnei Temple became a topic of discussion in the region. Some viewed it as the snake coming to Bollenatu in the temple, while others saw it as an exceptional wildlife rescue operation. However, the most important aspect of the whole affair is that the people themselves did not try to catch such a large and venomous snake in the temple. The forest department was informed, and the help of a trained Snake Rescue Service was called in. Such caution is necessary because a sudden approach or provocation of the royal cobra could pose a serious threat. Currently, this 12-foot royal cobra has been safely released into the forest. Worship in the temple continues as usual.