It had never occurred to me that snake charmers really existed until I saw my first performer in Varanasi. On that occasion it was an elderly gentleman and I was so overwhelmed by the sight that I gave him a generous reward in return for his permission to take his photograph – which produced such delight that at one point I thought that not only him but all the other spectators were going to hug me!

It was slightly less happy occasion with this rather sorrowful looking boy who rather plaintively posed for a photograph too. The backdrop makes it a rather classic photograph and the edition of India in the description would make it popular stock photograph I guess. I like the composition and colours, but I can’t help feeling a bit sad when I see the photograph and wondering what his life was like to make him look so sad.