Did Vasuki Naag exist? This massive snake once roamed in India’s…, it was the largest snake to….

Researchers gave it the name Vasuki indicus after “the mythical snake king Vasuki” in Hindu mythology, who is often depicted as wrapped around Shiva’s neck.

Around 47 million years ago, an enormous snake, estimated to be between 36 and 50 feet long, roamed what is now India, according to research published last year. Named Vasuki indicus, this extinct species may have been one of the largest snakes to ever exist, surpassing even the anacondas and pythons of today. The findings were reported in the journal Scientific Reports.

Researchers gave it the name Vasuki indicus after “the mythical snake king Vasuki” in Hindu mythology, who is often depicted as wrapped around Shiva’s neck.

Unearthing fossils of a massive serpent

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee studied 27 fossilized vertebrae that were originally discovered in 2005 at a coal mine in Gujarat. Initially mistaken for fossils of a crocodile-like reptile, further analysis confirmed that they actually belonged to a colossal snake.

The shape and structure of the vertebrae showed that Vasuki indicus had a thick, cylindrical body. Though a complete skeleton wasn’t found, size estimates place this species among the largest snakes ever known, alongside Titanoboa, a massive 42-foot-long snake that lived in Colombia.

“The fossil was found in 2005, but since I have been working on different other fossils, it went on the backburner. In 2022, we started re-examining the fossil. Initially, due to its size, I thought it was of a crocodile. But then we realised it was of a snake and it turned out to be the biggest in its family and possibly one of the biggest and similar to Titanoboa,” IIT-Roorkee paleontology professor Sunil Bajpai told Times of India.

How climate influenced its gigantic size

Like all reptiles, Vasuki indicus was cold-blooded, meaning its body temperature depended on the environment. Scientists believe that the warm climate of that time, with an estimated average annual temperature of 28 Degree Celsius (82°F), played a key role in its extraordinary growth.

“With higher ambient temperatures, Vasuki’s internal body temperature and metabolism would have increased, allowing it to grow to such a remarkable size,” the researchers explained.

A powerful predator

The study also suggested that Vasuki indicus was an ambush predator that likely killed its prey using constriction—similar to modern-day boas and pythons. The fossils were discovered in rock layers containing remains of ray fish, catfish, turtles, crocodiles, and even early whales, indicating a rich ecosystem.

Although scientists can’t determine exactly what Vasuki fed on, they believe it may have hunted some of the animals found in the same rock formations.