Monitor lizards' penises being used as talismans in India to boost sex drive

The organ is considered a lucky charm for fertility in men and called 'hatha jodi' for its forked appearance

There are a plethora of wonder drugs and herbal medicines that have flooded the market to increase sexual desire, however, in India bizarre solutions are being peddled to people owing to a lack of awareness, according to The Deccan Chronicle.

Exotic animals are often poached so that their bodies can be used in unproven folk medicines. The practice is commonplace throughout India and its neighbouring countries for its healing purposes.

Now monitor lizards genitals are being sold to consumers as talismans across Indian states to increase sex drive.

The organ is considered a lucky charm for fertility in men and colloquially called 'hatha jodi' for its forked appearance.

Although illegal, researchers discovered monitor lizard genitalia sold as “hatha jodi” is available for purchase from major online retailers including Amazon, Ebay, and Etsy. PHOTO COURTESY: World Animal Protection

People fall prey to sellers as they confuse the organ with an ayurvedic medicine called ‘hath jodi’.

A task force in Madhya Pradesh recently seized 68 pieces of monitor lizard genitals from poachers while a priest of a famous temple in Khargone was among those arrested.



There is also indication of creating religious beliefs around hatha jodi as it is also known to be found in temples smeared with vermillion.

The item is mostly taken from Madhya Pradesh and the Thar Desert in Rajasthan where these reptiles are found in large numbers.

The genitals are sold between Rs500 to Rs15,000 as desperate buyers pay more in hope for an enhanced sex drive and even reasons like luck in gambling and prosperity in business.

Just like any other superstitious practice, this one is quickly gaining popularity among several cities as well.

The fast decreasing number of the reptile can directly affect out ecosystem as their role as scavengers is imperative. Meanwhile many such raids have also been conducted in Odisha and Hyderabad recently.

According to World Animal Protection, poachers have been selling the penises of monitor lizards in place of hatha jodi in a fraud that has led to several recent raids across India. In one raid, officials seized 210 dried lizard penises.

The penises are being marketed by online retailers as well. Scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University in England confirmed that some of the hatha Jodi they found online was in fact derived from monitor lizards.



“Some will have their throats slit or their skulls smashed in before their private parts are removed for use as hatha jodi and others will still be alive when this process begins,” the organisation said in a statement.

The item is being sold for more than £200, or around $250. Poaching monitor lizards is illegal under Indian law and authorities said they were trying to put an end to the problem.

“If left unchecked,” Aniruddha Mookerjee, the lead investigator in the case, said in a statement, “this demand could grow to the extent that it pushes some wild populations over the edge.”