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Video: India’s Snake-Catching Business Through the Eyes of a Teen

Varanasi is over 5,000 years old and one of the holiest cities in India. Like the rest of the country, however, Varanasi is inundated with venomous snakes which often infest houses and endanger the population. The people hired to catch these snakes are often under-educated and suffer from a low-income, forced to turn to a dangerous job to make ends meet.

This mini-documentary follows Ali, a 16 year-old boy who is one of the best snake catchers in the city. His work takes him all over the city and through meetings with tourists, police, and people from all walks of life, yet the most important people are his family, who he supports by risking his life every day.