Ingabe Ungathanda Ukubona Imfezi?
Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! eNdiya
INGABE ungathanda? Abantu abadala abaningi bangase baphendule ngokuthi cha. Kodwa ingane ngeke iphendule kanjalo. Ukwesaba izinyoka, kuhlanganise nemfezi, akusona isici esiwumzwelo ongokwemvelo ezinganeni noma ngisho nasezilwaneni. Ukuzonda izinyoka kungabangelwa ukwaziswa okungathembekile, izindaba eziyihaba, izinganekwane, nokungaqondi.
Yiqiniso, lapho sikumema ukuba uzobona imfezi, sisho ukuthi uyibukele buqamama! Izimfezi zinesihlungu esibi, futhi besingeke sifune ukuya kuyo bese siyibamba ukuze siyiphulule. Futhi nemfezi beyingenakusilinda size sifike; lapho isizwa sisondela, ibiyoshaya ichithe iyocasha endaweni ephephile. Ngakho masaneliswe ukubona imfezi ngokufunda nje amanye amaqiniso athakazelisayo ngalesi sidalwa esihlaba umxhwele.
Izimfezi ziyizilwane ezihuquzelayo zesigaba se-Serpentes nomkhaya we-Elapidae, igama okuqanjwe ngalo izinyoka ezinesihlungu ezinamazinyo acijile anemisele. Kunezinhlobo ezingaba ngu-12 zezimfezi ezihlakazeke kusuka e-Australia kuya ezindaweni ezishisayo zase-Asia nase-Afrika kuya e-Arabia nasezindaweni ezinesimo sezulu esisesilinganisweni. Eyesabeka kunazo zonke i-king cobra, noma i-hamadryad. Njengoba inobude obungamamitha amathathu kuya kwamahlanu, lena inyoka enesihlungu enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni. Njengoba ithanda ukuhlala ehlozini noma exhaphozini, lapho imvula iningi khona, ingatholakala eningizimu yeChina, ePhilippines, e-Indonesia, eMalaysia, eMyanmar, nasezingxenyeni ezithile zaseNdiya. Umsila omnyama bhuqe, imithende eluhlaza ngokuphuzi, eba luhlaza ngokumnyama lapho isikhulile, namaqoqo amachashazi amancane ebilweni layo kuyenza ibe yinhle ngempela.
Ezinye izinhlobo zezimfezi zinesilinganiso sobude obuyimitha elilodwa kuya kwamabili. Edabuka eNdiya futhi exhaphakile lapho, yimfezi enamabala ayingqayizivele ebilweni layo, anjengezibuko zamehlo. Ingaba mnyama, ibe nsundu sakuba mnyama, noma ibe mhlophe ngokuphuzi nomthende obanzi, onsundu entanyeni bese iba nemithende emhlophe nephuzi emzimbeni wayo. I-monocled cobra, etholakala eSri Lanka kanye nasempumalanga nasenyakatho-mpumalanga yeNdiya, iyakhanya ngombala futhi inebilo elincane, eliyindilinga elinesiyingi esisodwa esimhlophe, okwenza ukuba ibizwe ngalelo gama. Enyakatho-ntshonalanga yeNdiya nasePakistan, sithola imfezi emnyama bhuqe. E-Afrika, phakathi kwezinye, kunomabilwane, noma imfezi etshaka amathe, nemfezi yaseGibithe. Lena yamuva, inyoka ensundu futhi enebilo elincane, ngokunokwenzeka iyimfezi okuthiwa yabulala iNdlovukazi uCleopatra.
Izinyoka zikhwelana nezinhlobo zazo kuphela, zikhangwa iphunga lamakha eliyingqayizivele. Imfezi ibonisa isithakazelo esikhulu emkhayeni kunezinye izinyoka, ngokuvamile iduna nensikazi zihlala ndawonye. Insikazi ye-king cobra ingenye yezinyoka ezimbalwa ezaziwa ngokwakha isidleke. Iqoqa amaqabunga iwenze indunduma engaba amasentimitha angu-30 ukuphakama bese ibekela kuyo amaqanda angu-20 kuya kwangu-50. Ibe isibuthisa eduze kwalendunduma ihlale lapho, ingadli, isikhathi sokufukamela esingaba izinyanga ezimbili, neduna nalo lihlezi eduzane. Ezinye izimfezi, ngaphandle kokwakha isidleke, zihlala eduze kwamaqanda azo ukuze ziwavikele.
Amachwane enyoka asebenzisa izinyo, kamuva eliphumayo, ukuze abhoboze igobolondo aphume. Lapho ephuma asuke esezimele ngokuphelele enezindlala zesihlungu eziphelele namazinyo acijile. Azikhiphela ngaphandle njalo izindimi zawo, ezwe indawo ezungezile, abese edlulisela ukwaziswa kwamakhemikhali kulokho okuthiwa i-Jacobson’s organ esolwangeni. Lendlala ixhumene nezinzwa zokuhogela; ukuhlangana kokunambitha nokuhogela kusiza inyoka ukuba ithungathe isisulu sayo, ithole umngane, noma ibalekele izilwane eziyidlayo.
Ichwane lenyoka likhula ngokushesha futhi phakathi nesikhashana nje liyebuza, likhiphe isikhumba esisuke sesilimpintsha. Lesi senzakalo esingavamile lisenza ngokuphindaphindiwe, njengoba imfezi iqhubeka ikhula ukuphila kwayo konke, okungase kube iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-20. Esontweni elilodwa noma amabili ngaphambi kokwebuza, lenyoka iyadodobala, isikhumba sifiphale, futhi amehlo abe luhlaza ngokukhanyayo. Khona-ke, ngokungazelele, amehlo ayacweba, futhi ngokuhlikihla ikhanda ematsheni, lenyoka idabula isikhumba esidala emlonyeni wayo. Manje iphuma ngokoqobo esikhunjeni sayo njengoba sebuleka, kusuka esihlokweni esikhanyayo esiphezu kwamehlo kuya phansi emsileni. Manje inyoka enobungqabavu, ekhazimulayo, ebukeka iyintsha isilungele ukwenza umsebenzi wayo wansuku zonke.
Izinga lokushisa komoya lizithinta kakhulu izimfezi. Lapho izulu libanda, ziyadodobala zilale ngisho nokulala, zize zivuke lapho kuphakama izinga lokushisa. Ukushisa okukhulu kungazibulala. Ngaphandle kwe-king cobra, edla izinyoka, zidla amagundane, amaxoxo, izibankwa, izinyoni, nezinye izilwane ezincane. Ngemva kokubamba isisulu, isithena amandla ngokusifaka isihlungu. Isigwinya sonke, njengoba imfezi ingakwazi ukuhlafuna ukudla. Ukunwebeka kwesikhumba nokuthamba kwemihlathi kwenza ukuba imfezi ikwazi ukugwinya isilwane esikhulu kunekhanda layo ngokuphindwe kabili noma kathathu. Nakuba umlomo uvinjwa ngokuphelele isisulu, lenyoka iphefumula ngokudonsa ingaphakathi likaqhoqhoqho liye ngalé kwesisulu, njengenhlambi esebenzisa i-snorkel. Manje izinhlu zamazinyo agobele emuva zidonsela isisulu ngaphakathi emzimbeni wenyoka. Iphumula endaweni ethulile ukuze igaye lokhu kudla kancane kancane, mhlawumbe ingahlala ingadli izinsuku ezimbalwa. Imfezi ingaphila izinyanga eziningi ingadli, isebenzisa amafutha ewagcine emzimbeni wayo.
Izinyoka ziqaphile. (Bheka uMathewu 10:16.) Ukuphepha kwemfezi kuxhomeke ekubalekeni kwayo, mhlawumbe ingene ngaphansi kwedwala noma ingene emgodini wayo wamagundane, noma ngokuthula dú, ngaleyo ndlela igweme ukuthungathwa. Lapho unqwamana nayo, iyaphakama futhi ivuse ibilo layo, yenze umsindo ukuze isabise isitha. Ukuluma kuyinto eyenza ekugcineni.
Ukulunywa Inyoka
Ukulunywa inyoka emaphandleni ase-Afrika nase-Asia ngokuvamile akubikwa, kodwa kubonakala sengathi emhlabeni wonke abantu abangaba isigidi balunywa izinyoka ezinesihlungu unyaka ngamunye. Izwe laseNdiya linenani eliyingqopha-mlando lababulawa izinyoka—abangaba ngu-10-000 ngonyaka—mhlawumbe iningi labo libulawa imfezi enamabala anjengezibuko zamehlo. Amaphesenti angaba yishumi abantu abalunywa imfezi ayafa.
Imfezi ayisheshi njengezinye izinyoka; uchakide onobungqabavu, esinye sezitha zayo ezinkulu, ungayiphamba. Njengoba uyigxumela, bese ukugwema ngokuphindaphindiwe ukugadla kwayo, uchakide ushiya imfezi ithuthumela futhi imanqikanqika. Uhlasela ngemva kwebilo, uyephule intamo. Izinyoka eziningi zigadla zibuthisile, okwenza kube nzima ukwazi ibanga ezifinyelela kulo, kodwa imfezi iphakamisa umzimba wayo bese igadla ishone phansi. Ibanga lingalinganiswa, futhi umuntu angakwazi ukusuka lapho isanambuluka.
Ezinye izimfezi, njengomabilwane, imfezi enentamo emnyama yaseNingizimu Afrika, nezimfezi zasenyakatho-mpumalanga yeNdiya, zizivikela ngokutshaka amathe. Ngokuphakama nokubhekisa amazinyo ayo esisulwini, lenyoka, ngokufutha umoya, ingafutha isihlungu ibanga elingaphezu kwamamitha amabili. Lesi sihlungu asisilimazi isikhumba, kodwa uma singena ehlweni, singabangela ubumpumputhe okwesikhashana, futhi uma singagezwa ngokushesha, singabangela ubumpumputhe unomphela. Ngokumangalisayo, lenyoka kubonakala ikwazi ukuqondisa emehlweni.
Ake sithi ulunywa imfezi, yini okufanele uyenze? Isihlungu isikhipha ezikhwameni zobuthi ezisezihlathini zayo ngamazinyo amabili acijile, amafushane, anezimbobo, aqinile angaphambili emihlathini yayo. Lamazinyo acijile ahlaba isikhumba abese efaka isihlungu ngendlela efanayo nomjovo. Okuwukuphela kwekhambi lesihlungu senyoka isibiba esenziwe ngesihlungu sezinyoka ezine. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, izwe laseNdiya lalingelokuqala ekusebenziseni kabanzi lesi sibiba. Impuphu yalesi sibiba inamandla okusebenza iminyaka emihlanu ngaphandle kokufakwa esiqandisini; ngokuyivuselela nje ingasetshenziswa futhi.
Izimpawu zokulunywa imfezi ziyizinhlungu nokuvuvukala lapho ikulume khona, ukufiphala kwamehlo, ukuyenda, ukungasebenzi kwamalaka, nokwehla kwezinga lokuphefumula. Umuntu angafa emahoreni amabili uma kungene isihlungu esiningi futhi engelashwa.
Inyanga Esebenza Ngezinyoka
Ukusebenza ngezinyoka kuyindlela endala kakhulu yokuzijabulisa. Njengoba kwenziwa ikakhulukazi eMpumalanga, amanye amasekisi aseNtshonalanga aye akuhlanganisa ezintweni azenzayo. Ngenxa yebilo layo elingavamile nokwethukela kwayo, imfezi enamabala anjengezibuko zamehlo iyona nyoka esetshenziswa kakhulu kunazo zonke, kodwa nezinye izinyoka ezikhangayo, njenge-royal snake ne-sand boa ebomvu, nazo ziyasetshenziswa. Njengoba inyanga, umbukisi onekhono, ishaya umtshingo wayo, imfezi iyaphakama kubhasikidi wayo futhi ivuse ibilo layo ngendlela evamile yokuzivikela. Ukunyakaza kwenyanga esebenza ngezinyoka kubangela ukusabela kwenyoka njengoba ithe njó kuyo, ngaso sonke isikhathi ilungele ukugadla. Izimfezi eziningi ezisetshenziswa izinyanga zikhishwa amazinyo azo acijile, kodwa amanye amadoda azifaka engozini ngokusebenza ngezinyoka ezinesihlungu.
ENdiya yasendulo inyanga ejikelezayo esebenza ngezinyoka yayibuye ibe ngumhlobanisi wemiqondo engokwenkolo nezinganekwane, okwakuyenza ithandwe. Namuhla kuzuzisa kakhulu ukwenza umbukiso ngaphandle kwamahhotela avakashelwa njalo izihambi ezibuka amazwe ezithanda ukuthatha izithombe. Ezinye izinyanga ezisebenza ngezinyoka zivakashela amakhaya futhi zitshele umninikhaya ukuthi kungenzeka ingadi yakhe inezinyoka. Ngesamba semali okuvunyelwane ngaso, ivuma ukuzibamba. Ingena engadini, futhi ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, okuzwakala ngaso umsindo womtshingo wayo, ibuya nesikhwama sigcwele izinyoka. Yiqiniso, bekungaba ukuhlakanipha uma umninikhaya engayibeka iso noma okungenani ahlole ukuthi ayifikanga yini nesikhwama sigcwele izinyoka!
Amapaki Ezinyoka Ayafundisa
Amapaki ezinyoka akhuthaza isithakazelo ezilwaneni ezihuquzelayo. Axhasa ukucwaninga, afundisa ngokuvimbela ukulunywa izinyoka nokukwelapha, futhi alwela ukuvikela izinyoka ekuhaheni komuntu nasekuntuleni kwakhe ulwazi. Izimfezi ziye zabulawelwa isikhumba sazo esihle, okwenziwa ngaso amabhande, izikhwama zabesifazane, izicathulo, nezinye izinto zokunethezeka. Onyakeni owodwa kwabulawa izinyoka ezingaphezu kwezigidi eziyishumi eNdiya ngenxa yezimboni zesikhumba. Izinyoka ziyabulawa bese zebulwa isikhumba ngokushesha. Kusetshenziswa odayi bemifino eNdiya ukuze banikeze isikhumba umbala, futhi siyacwebezeliswa futhi ngezinye izikhathi sipendwe ukuze sikhazimule futhi singangenwa amanzi.
Imfezi iyigugu kakhulu. Yonga inqwaba yamathani okusanhlamvu ngokubulala amagundane nezinye izilwane eziwuhlupho. Ngesihlungu sayo kwenziwa izibiba, izibulala-zinhlungu, neminye imithi. I-Tata Memorial Cancer Institute eBombay ihlola umphumela wesihlungu semfezi ezingqamuzaneni zomdlavuza.
Ingabe ukujabulele ukubona imfezi? Yinhle, iwusizo, iqaphile, ikuhlomele kahle ukuzivikela. Ukuyazi kangcono kungasisiza ukuba silazise leli lungu lezilwane elikhulunyelwa kabi kangaka.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 19]
Ukukhulekela Imfezi Nenkolelo-ze
IMFEZI ibilokhu ikhulekelwa kusukela endulo. Indaba yemfezi iye yatholakala ezimpawini eMohenjo-Daro, enye yezindawo ezindala kakhulu eziye zavubukulwa abavubukuli. Kusukela enkulungwaneni yesithathu yeminyaka B.C.E. kuze kube namuhla, izigidi eNdiya ziye zabheka izimfezi ngokuzihlonipha okuyinkolelo-ze. Ngokuthakazelisayo, izindaba eziningi zezimfezi zingaphawuleka njengezinganekwane ezisontekile ezisekelwe ezenzakalweni ezingokoqobo zomlando.
“Indaba” yokudala ilandisa ngesikhathi lapho kwakungekho ukukhanya endaweni yonke. Emanzini asendaweni yonke kwadalwa kuqala unkulunkulu okhazimulayo uVishnu, kwalandela izulu, umhlaba, nezwe elingaphansi komhlaba. Ngezinsalela, kwadalwa imfezi enkulu okuthiwa uShesha (okusho ingxenye esele). Izinganekwane zithi uShesha wayenamakhanda asukela kwamahlanu kuya kwangu-1000, futhi izithombe zibonisa uVishnu ecambalele kuShesha obuthisile, embozwe amabilo amaningi kaShesha. Kuthiwa ukuzamazama komhlaba kubangelwa ukuzamula kukaShesha, futhi umlilo ophuma emlonyeni wakhe noma isihlungu sakhe sibhubhisa izwe ekupheleni kwenkathi ethile.
Izinganekwane zamaHindu zibonisa uhlanga lwezimfezi okuthiwa amaNagas, oluhlala ezweni elingaphansi komhlaba, eNagalok noma ePatala. Unkulunkulu oyinkawu uHanuman uthi “eNkathini Ephelele,” bonke abantu babengosanta, kwakunenkolo eyodwa vó, futhi ayengekho amademoni noma amaNagas. Izinyoka zaba abaqaphi bomnotho womhlaba futhi zazinolwazi olunzulu namandla emilingo. UShesha, ngezinye izikhathi obizwa nangokuthi uVasuki, wasetshenziswa onkulunkulu ukuba aphehle ubisi oluningi ukuze lukhiqize i-amrit, umpe olwalunganikeza ukungafi. Izwe elingaphansi komhlaba, elibuswa amaNagas, livezwa njengendawo efiseleka kakhulu; amaqhawe afa empini athenjiswa injabulo engenakuqhathaniswa lapho.
Nokho, akuzona zonke izimfezi zezinganekwane ezibhekwa njengezinhle. Enye “indaba” ilandisa ngokunqwamana kukaKrishna, owake waphila njengoVishnu, noKaliya, imfezi enkulu eyidemoni elibulalayo. Izithombe zibonisa uKrishna onqobile ebeke unyawo lwakhe phezu kwekhanda lalenyoka enkulu.
UManasa, noma uDurgamma, indlovukazi yamaNagas, ukhulekelwa abesifazane ukuze avikele izingane zabo ekulunyweni izinyoka. Emkhosini kaNagapanchami, abakhulekeli bezinyoka bathulula ubisi ngisho negazi ezithombeni zezimfezi nasemigodini yezinyoka. Izithombe zezimfezi zamatshe noma zesiliva ziyakhulekelwa futhi zinikelwe emathempelini abesifazane abanamathemba okukhulelwa izingane zesilisa.
Imfezi Emafilimini
Imfezi yasenganekwaneni iyisihloko esithandwayo emafilimini enziwa eNdiya—kuye kwakhiqizwa angaphezu kuka-40 kusukela ngo-1928. Ngokuvamile imfezi iboniswa njengomnakekeli wobuhle, umsizi wabakhulekeli babo, nombhubhisi wababi. Inganekwane ethandwayo eyezimfezi zohlobo lwe-Icchadari, okuthiwa zinamandla okuziguqula umuntu. Kuthiwa ziba nomngane oyedwa othembekile. Uma umngane ebulawa, lemfezi iyakwazi ukubona isithunzi sombulali emehlweni enyoka efile, bese iphuma umkhankaso wokuziphindiselela. Lokhu kuba isisekelo esiqinile samafilimu amaningi. Indaba igxila kakhulu ekudanseni kwezinyoka; ngomculo ofana nowenyanga esebenza ngezinyoka, abadansi balingisa ukuhamba kwenyoka, baze bahuquzele ngisho naphansi.
Isithombe sebhayisikobho esisekelwe encwadini, i-Shakti, senzelwa emkhosini eRajasthan, eNdiya, lapho njalo ngo-August amakhulu ezinkulungwane zabakhulekeli bezinyoka ehlangana khona ogwadule. Elangeni elikhipha inhlanzi emanzini nezinga lokushisa elifinyelela ngaphezu kuka-50° C., bazibhaxabula ngezinduku zensimbi futhi bahuquzele ngezisu ibanga elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha amabili esihlabathini esishisa bhé aye ethempelini likankulunkulu oyinyoka, uGogha. Njengoba ayeyinkosi engokomlando ekhulwini leshumi C.E., kuthiwa uGogha wasindisa abantu bakhe kubahlaseli abangamaSulumane ngokuholela isitha endaweni egcwele izinyoka, lapho ibutho labhuqabhuqwa khona ukulunywa izinyoka.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 20]
Yophulwa Imfezi
Imikhaya emibili edolobhaneni laseSastur eNdiya inesizathu sokubonga imfezi. Yavuswa ngo-3:50 ekuseni ngo-September 30, 1993, ukufutha kwemfezi okunomsindo omkhulu njengoba yayihuquzela iphuma endlini yalemikhaya. Yayixoshela emasimini ukuze iyibulale. Ngo-4:00 ekuseni, ukuzamazama komhlaba okwesabekayo enkabeni yeNdiya kwacekela phansi idolobhana ehlala kulo kwabulala cishe wonke umuntu. Lemikhaya emibili yasinda—ngenxa yesimiso semfezi sokuhlaba umkhosi!
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Ukubukeka kwangemuva nokwangaphambili kwemfezi yase-Asia
Isithombe Esiphakathi: Imfezi emnyama ivula ibilo layo lapho ithamele isigcaki etsheni elifudumele
[Umthombo]
Pictures on pages 16 to 20: A. N. Jagannatha Rao, Trustee, Madras Snake Park Trust
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Ukubukeka kwangaphambili nokwangemuva kwemfezi emnyama