Snake charming is the practice of appearing to hypnotize a snake by playing and waving around, an instrument called pungi. A typical performance may also include handling the snakes or performing other seemingly dangerous acts, as well as other street performance staples, like juggling and sleight of hand.

The practice is most common in India, though other Asian nations such as Pakistan,Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia are also home to performers, as are the North African countries of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia

Snake charmers used to be a fixture at Indian markets and festivals, beguiling crowds with their ability to control some of the world’s most venomous reptiles.But one of India’s iconic folk arts is fading away — and animal-rights activists say it can’t happen soon enough. They say it’s an art based on cruelty.

No matter how you look at it, these snake charmer’s literally gamble with their lives when handling these snakes.

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