Snakes used in snake-charming performances are not dancing to music. A cobra’s raised posture and tracking movement are better understood as responses to the nearby person, moving instrument, vibration, and perceived threat.
What snakes can detect
Snakes do not have external ears like ours, but they can detect vibrations and some airborne sound. In a performance, the motion of the pungi and the charmer is usually a much more immediate cue than a melody. The snake is not being hypnotized or enjoying a song.
Respect the cultural context
Snake charming has cultural histories in several regions and should not be treated as a cartoon. At the same time, close handling of venomous snakes can be dangerous for people and stressful for animals. It is not a practice to imitate, film for spectacle, or use as a reason to acquire wildlife.
A careful conclusion
The myth is not that snakes respond to their surroundings. They do. The mistake is claiming that the music controls them. Their behaviour is best explained by sensory cues and defensive awareness, not musical appreciation.
