Indian Juggler

An Indian juggler or magician as he is called, is a common sight in the Bazaars of India. He can easily be recognized by his loose and long dhoti-kurta and the turban on his head. He is usually followed by a crowd or by street children who are eager to see his feats. Often dogs also follow him, barking loudly at his strange figure.

He usually selects a wide open space by the roadside. However, he is not averse to showing his feats in private places, as the compounds of big villas and schools. To collect the audience, he beats his small drum, the flute is the signal that the show is about to begin, and soon large crowds gather around him.

The tricks of Indian juggler are very clever and have become famous all over the world. One of the commonest scene is the throwing up of a number of brass balls high into the air, one after another and catching them all in his hands as they come down. The show continues for a long time, and is always watched with breathless attention. All the the spectators are hopeful that one of the balls will fall and the Juggler will commit an error. However, none of them ever falls. The eyes of the conjurer follow them. As they go up and come down, his hands catch them with the accuracy and skill of a machine.

How does the juggler require all with dexterity? How can he perform such marvelous feats so faultlessly and with such apparent ease? The fact is that life long training and devotion alone have made the Indian juggler what he is.

The growing of a mango tree is another of the common feats of a juggler. It is very much like magic. A mango seed is sown in the ground some water is sprinkled over it. It is then covered with a basket. After a few minutes the basket is removed and a mango plant, a foot high, is discovered. The plant soon grows to be full tree and bears fruits which are distributed among the spectators to their great amazement and delights. How does he do it? Neither science nor philosophy can furnish any explanation for this marvelous feat.

Another feat, equally miraculous is the so called basket trick. A young lad gets into a basket which is then covered with a piece of cloth. The juggler pierces the cloth deep with a sharp dagger several times but the child comes out later, unscathed and unharmed.