Confronting Ophidiophobia: A Comparative Reading of K.V. Raghupathi’s “Three Experiences with Snakes” and Swami Rama’s “My Fear of Snakes”

By : T. Venkata Ramana , K. Rani Rajitha Madhuri

Page No: 29-35

Abstract : 
Through the lens of two different narratives, this study examines the topic of ophidiophobia, namely the dread of snakes. The psychological and spiritual effects of fear are presented in two very different ways in Swami Rama’s “My Fear of Snakes” and KV Raghupathi’s “Three Experiences with Snakes.” Raghupathi’s story, which is akin to cognitive-behavioural therapy for phobias, centres on the progressive desensitisation of his fear of snakes via repeated exposure and introspection. Conversely, Swami Rama’s narrative is set in a spiritual environment, where his phobia of snakes is treated through meditation, philosophical contemplation, and the counsel of a master, providing insights into conquering fear through spiritual enlightenment. This article contrasts the psychological processes and spiritual development in both narratives, emphasising how the protagonists deal with, overcome, and eventually incorporate fear into their lives. In addition, it examines the larger ramifications of ophidiophobia by looking at its origins in evolutionary psychology and its treatment in current therapeutic methods

Authors:
T. Venkata Ramana, Research Scholar, Lecturer in English, Govt College for Men (A), Kadapa, Distt. Andhra Pradesh
Dr. K. Rani Rajitha Madhuri, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Department of English, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University, Jubilee Hills, Road No. 46, Hyderabad (Telangana)
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/POET.2025.38.02.4