From the archive record
An Indian snake charmer performs (on green-screen) purportedly in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India. This snake charmer belongs to Kalbelia tribe of India. The Kalbelias were known for their frequent movement from one place to another in ancient times. Their main occupation is catching snakes and trading snake venom. Hence, the dance movements and the costumes of their community bear a resemblance to that of the serpents. They are also known as Sapera, Jogira or Jogi. They follow Hindu religion. They trace their ancestry from Kanlipar, the 12th disciple of Guru Gorakhnath. The Thar Desert is a large, arid region in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent and forms a natural boundary running along the border between India and Pakistan. With an area of more than 200,000 km2 (77,000