Photos: Snake charmers show off their talents at a fair in India
August 18, 2013
An Indian snake charmer performs with 'gokhras' - cobras - at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169559 )
An Indian snake charmer displays a 'gokhra' - cobra - in a basket for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169528 )
An Indian snake charmer performs with a 'gokhra' - cobra - in his mouth for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169544 )
An Indian snake charmer displays a 'gokhra' - cobra - to passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169554 )
An Indian snake charmer displays a 'gokhra' - cobra - to passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169555 )
An Indian snake charmer displays a variety of 'gokhras' - cobras - to passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169548 )
An Indian snake charmer performs with a 'gokhra' - cobra - in a basket for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169541 )
Indian snake charmers perform with 'gokhras' - cobras - in baskets for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169538 )
An Indian snake charmer displays a 'gokhra' - cobra - in a basket for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169535 )
An Indian snake charmer performs with a 'gokhra' - cobra - in a basket for passers by at a snake fair at Purba Bishnupur village, around 85 kms north of Kolkata on August 17, 2013. Hundreds of people queued in a remote village in eastern India over the weekend to receive blessings from meters-long and potentially deadly snakes, thought to bring them good luck. DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images ( 522169546 )