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LA-based photographer and adventure travel consultant Howard Goldberg contributed this image to the Boing Boing Flickr Pool: "Snake Charmer with Cobra, in Varanasi, India." This city, in case you're unfamiliar, is considered the holiest place in the world in the Hindu faith, and the center of the world in Hindu cosmology.

  • Anonymous

    I have read that cobras only flare their hoods when they are upset. I’m guessing that this one is frustrated that it can’t defend itself as people throw metal circles at it.

  • Wellin Fact

    Tommy Chong!

  • nanuq

    I was in India recently and a snake charmer let me handle a snake there. This was probably not so remarkable considering that India law bans the use of dangerous animals in the tourist trade so the snakes on display either have their poison glands removed or their mouths sewn shut.

  • Anonymous

    if a snakes mouth was sewn shut how would it eat?

  • nanuq

    Now you know why there’s such a high turnover on snakes. It’s the same in other countries like Morocco. No PETA in the developing world.

    • aninsomniac

      Really? http://www.petaindia.com/
      Someone tell those people to stop putting up fake websites. Also tell my friend in India that she is a member of a spurious organization called Peta that doesn’t exist in India.

  • inyourdeathbed

    damn, that is one epic beard.

  • meanthinking

    You know, as an Indian i have to let you in on a secret.

    The Varanasi of ancient legend is gone. To think of it as the ‘Holiest place in the world’ would need me to be high on ganja – the idea is ludicrous.

    Today its a crowded, dirty noisy, unspiritual city living off the tourism of pilgrims – and performing wildly for foreign tourists who come here expecting/stereotyping ‘spirituality’. Well, people who need tourist dollars will always deliver.

    Holiness is not derived from labels, but from daily experience. The tacky evening ‘worship’ on the riverbank has to be seen to be believed – its now purely for cameras of the tourists, who imagine they are witnessing something ‘beautiful’ in some crazy cacophonic ritual on steroids. The spiritual meaning, and intent has been squeezed out of it long ago.

    Varanasi is like Disneyland for religion. The poor guy in the photo is just dressing up exotically for the camera. These guys are all over India.

    For me as an indian, there is no real spirituality left in Varanasi – no peace, no quiet, no wisdom, no reflection, except those interpret its chaos that way – basically, foreign, white tourists.

    Every time an European or American friend visits me at home in india, and says they want to make a short trip to Varanasi, i just roll my eyes.

    The tragedy is that this guys picture, reproduced all across western media (coz it looks cool, ya?), is what defines the image of India for many people.

    Its so lame. And gets sadder every year.

  • Anonymous

    Oh yes, i visited Varanasi some weeks ago. Narrow streets, feral dogs roam in packs, the walkways are covered with bullshit and at every corner a tout is waiting for you.
    Better try Pushkar. This is still a peacefull place to enjoy some curry and spirituality.

    “As you like.” & “If you are happy, I am happy.”

  • Ugly Canuck

    Interesting comment: I wonder how applicable your observations would be to other famous and popular centers of religious pilgrimage.

    But the dying yet go to Varanasi, do they not?

    Anyway, here’s some music for the snakecharmers, by the snakecharmers:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pHWnyrlDZQ