Jonathan Kieran

Apparently, there were not enough crocodiles in a remote agricultural region in India, so a forestry organization had been deliberately hatching them for decades. There were only 94 crocodiles in 1974 and now, THANK KALI, there are well over 1,100 of them.

Of course, 24 local people who subsist on the rivers and lands of the region have been eaten by crocodiles fairly recently, including this poor gent, who was filling buckets by the river to help irrigate his small plot of crops. His wife, daughters, and son are now without a father/husband/provider.

Why the local governments had been worried about a dearth of man-eating crocodiles for so long is anyone’s guess, but, hey … to everything turn, turn, turn. At least in ancient Egypt, where crocodiles once flourished as a natural apex predator of the Nile waters and riverbanks, the reptiles were widely worshipped in large temples that actually employed thousands of local citizens in temple priesthoods, granaries, bakeries, wineries, breweries, agricultural farmlands, festival committees, and even crocodile pilgrimage “resorts” that enabled wide populations of people to enjoy economic stability and even generational success.

In ancient Egypt, the fear of (and respect for) these dangerous reptiles was harnessed to empower a religious and socio-cultural ecosystem that contributed to significant levels of prosperity for human beings across the economic spectrum. Large provincial temples of crocodile gods like Sobek of Kom Ombo or Suchos of the Fayyum Region provided important jobs to citizens of entire cities built around the religious institution, all connected in some key way to the maintenance of the cult. There was a job for everyone. Even if your wife worked part-time as a temple chantress, your son worked as one of dozens of temple bakers of offertory breads, your sister as a temple festival dancer, and your aging dad had a couple of regular shifts as a sacristan or temple doorkeeper, your family was living well. Sure, a croc would grab the occasional Egyptian citizen working or playing along the mighty river, but the power of the local temple could contribute to animal control as well: sacred crocodiles were often bred and mummified as votive sacrifices. Touche! A curious balance was achieved by a vibrant, multifaceted approach to “faithful economy” that remains fascinating to the modern imagination.

The peoples of India are still mostly polytheists. Maybe they want to rethink their crocodilian business model. Presumably, there’s still time. Industriousness may be another matter entirely.

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