Indian culture, religion, and philosophy give the national reptile King Cobra a significant aspect and perception. In India, this snake is associated with Lord Shiva’s ornament, Kundalini energy, and speech. It is also seen as a Demi-God. They are found in almost every part of the Indian subcontinent. King Cobra survives on preys like reptiles, insects and other snakes. The 500 Paise commemorative postage of India depicts this widely worshipped King Cobra quit gracefully.

The King Cobra is the largest venomous snake in the world. Growing to around 3m in length, the King has the ability to inject up to 6ml of venom in a single bite. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forward to attack. A resident of dense rain forests and thick jungles, this shy animal is very rarely seen.

Indian Cobra varies in color and can be of grey, yellow, tan, brown, reddish or black. It has a larger head and narrower hood and the key in identifying them is the presence of a pair of large scales, occipitals located at the back of the top head and are a unique feature of a king cobra.

Visit philamart to view and purchase variety of stamps from all over the world.