Jim Elbrecht wrote in
:

But it becomes interesting to me because now we have reports from 3
continents that there is a benefit to putting out bowls of milk.

What might be the real [or imagined?] reason that some ancients
thought would be an easier sell as a way to appease Cobras, Pixies, or
Milk-snakes?

Is there any truth to this remedy or is it another way to get folks
to waste milk? I never had an luck with it myself, but a mid-19th
century almanac suggested leaving a bowl of milk with pepper in it on
the kitchen counter as a way to kill houseflies.

Jim

I would guess it stems from some archaic animist belief ... if you take
the snake as deity of death, then what better way to neutralize it than
to appease it with some token of life?

Of course there could also be some practical applications as well. Some
site said that the Nag Panchami occurs sometime in August (seems to be a
solar calendar although I don't know why they mean by 'bright half of
Shravan'), which right would be smack in the middle of the rainy season.
I would have thought if you wanted to drug a snake with milk, you'd do it
in the dry season when they should be thirsty, but perhaps they are
estivating during that time. Also, nobody said what kind of milk ... cow
milk, goat milk ... colostrum or what. Such differentiation should have
been common knowledge to practitioners, and not so obvious to observers,
but it may not make a difference at all, esp. if the effect is merely
symbolic.

In related news, they are now using grape extracts to keep away birds at
some major airports.