Snake or fire, a Kerala village dials a pastor for help

On Wednesday afternoon, Pastor Charley Varghese sat down for lunch at his home in Mannar, Alappuzha, when his phone began buzzing. He picked up the call and patiently guided the tense caller. “There was a snake inside a car, and they were too scared to even move it. They needed me to come and help them,” he said.

“Maybe if they move the vehicle to a quieter place, the snake may leave on its own. But due to the rising incidents of snake bites in the state, people are too scared to handle the situation themselves,” he told Onmanorama.

Such calls have become a routine for Varghese, who, apart from his pastoral responsibilities at the Church of God at Mannar, is also a SARPA volunteer and part of the Civil Defence force. The SARPA initiative of the Forest Department focuses on reptile conservation while ensuring human safety. SARPA volunteers play a crucial role in reducing snakebite incidents.

Varghese, who lives with his wife, Jijili Charley, and their children, Isaiah Charley and Esther Charley, in Mannar, entered the field of snake rescue out of a desire to help people. “There is no point in saying that, as a pastor, I will only look out for my people and my community,” he said. “People come first, and animals second to me,” he added.

Varghese said the rising temperatures are difficult for these cold-blooded animals to bear. Coupled with the hatching season, this has made snakes more abundant than people would prefer, keeping him on his toes throughout the summer. “Snakes fear people, so they instinctively hide when they see us. That’s how they end up in these unlikely places,” Varghese explains.

As soon as he receives a call, he guides people through the situation until he arrives. He then grabs his equipment and heads to the spot. The tools of the trade include a hook, used to guide the snake and ensure safety, a pipe that simulates a crevice into which the snake can be guided, and a sack to capture it.

Despite the seasonal rush, Varghese says he has no trouble making time for the work. “I am a pastor at a small church here, so there aren’t many parish-related activities that keep me engaged,” he said. With masses being held for only four hours a week, Varghese can devote much of his spare time to SARPA.

“Even when I get the occasional call during mass hours, my daughter guides them through the initial steps. Once the mass is over, I head there and help them out,” he said. “Church comes first for me. All of this comes only after my work as a pastor,” he added. “At the end of the day, it is my desire to help people that put me on this path.”

Apart from snakes, Varghese also rescues eagles, porcupines, and civets from human settlements. “Once I capture the creatures, they are handed over to the Forest Department,” he added.

Despite Varghese’s proactive approach to handling human-wildlife conflict, his family does not share the same enthusiasm.

“It’s snakes. No one really likes snakes,” he said with a laugh. “They worry that something bad may happen to me.” However, they do not shy away from helping people. Varghese, along with his wife and son, is also a Civil Defence volunteer. “We are basically part of a larger team equipped to deal with disasters. They train and coach us to handle adverse situations,” he said.

Varghese also recalled a funny incident from one of his rescue trips.

“While I was on my way after receiving a call, I came across a tea shop that had caught fire. People were in a state of panic, but my training helped me quickly put out the fire,” he said.