The Wire magician!!!

When I first saw those wire puzzles..I was fascinated, then.. I saw the man who made it....... he  looked so shabby and unassuming..but it just took me a few minutes to realize that he is a genius!

Harish Bai as everyone in the centre calls him, was here to help one of our graduate students to  make a double helical model of DNA..And in between, if you have the time and he has the mood, he will teach you few tricks..in his own words: "Once I teach you some simple tricks..then you can also create magic! Get me any waste you have, plastic bottles,lids,coins, papers, wires anything..I will show you how to transform them in to art, puzzle and magic" . When he saw our interest, he gave us a simple wire puzzle. After few minutes of our struggle to solve it we went back to him for help..and he understood that we poor souls could do with a clue..."its like buttoning and unbuttoning a shirt..I have buttoned it now you think and do "..WOW! and after a long struggle we "unbuttoned " it!

Armed with the confidence of knowing the secret of solving the puzzles, we  took a couple of different ones and started to solve them..only to realize that the there are a variety of buttons and unbuttoning one does not mean that others will be easy ..Also,there are not just buttons, some are even a lock and key or a needle and thread!!..

And when we thought that we have seen his best,he  opened the blue plastic bag kept on his side..and out popped a bundle of goodies..Wire art in form of cycles, rickshaws, female faces, Buddha,the Chanakya,different pandits (a difference in their status defined by their head marks) animal forms etc etc.. and the most fascinating..the Picasso lady who can have 25 different expressions..from happiness to gloom from bliss to danger..
His narrative through out the presentation was mind blowing..He is a perfect "India has got talent" material.
 And I who had  gone there just to see ..could not stop myself from buying a buddha and a cycle and a couple of puzzles..it was too good..and Iam sure my dad will love it..

Photo Courtesy: http://10yearitch.com 

I know very little about him, for he speaks only of his art and where it takes him to. but in between as an answer to someone's question, he told us about how he traveled without ticket from his home in Kutch  to Mumbai (He identifies Mumbai as his hometown)  to become an actor (he and his friends thought that any one can become an actor in Mumbai and the only challenge was to reach Mumbai) .. in just the first few days ,he realised that finding a square meal itself is a challenge ...but the most hardest thing for him was that he couldn't watch the movies!!he recalled the nights that he spent outside the theater as he did not have the money to go in ..

For the 50 paise  to watch the movie he started to collect garbage.. but he made only 25 paise.. and he and his friend had to share a movie..he watched half and his friend the other half., and they would share the story! Then one day,his first baby cycle got him 1Rs with which both of them watched the movie together..and from then on it was a steady income.

The  major turning point in his career,was when an article about him came in Times of India some where in 1979, and people started   knowing about him and his days as a wire artist began...On days when he is not working at some fest , school ,or at some parties (He caters to a wide variety of audience..from scholars to birthday kids..) you can find him at his regular stall (Have not yet been there..but found some pictures  of him on google taken by people who have been there..) on the footpath opposite Jahangir art gallery, Mumbai,near  the iconic KalaGhoda..

But like any other genuine artist, the shadow of exploitation haunts him too...his 3-D bikes sold for 60000 Rs inside the Jahangir Art Gallery , but no one even knew it was his... he had sold it to middle man only for 10000 with out knowing the real intentions of his client ..... "thats how it will be and we can do nothing about it!"....the hard truth that affects the poor whether they are farmers or carpenters or crafts men..Its not the one who sows that reaps the benefit but the crook who is in between...And the real artists are left to do it for the love of the art and their personal satisfaction..

Photo Courtesy: http://Mumbaimania.in

Every year in Feb, during the famous Kalaghoda festival, he has a permanent stall there ,Which he says the organizers give him free of any charge and its during this time he sells for his entire years living... He also talked about a few other incredible people that you can meet on streets then...I have decided.. 2012 Feb..Iam not going to miss the Kala Ghoda fest at any cost!