Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`Pulling strings' for survival

S. Sandeep Kumar

Big smiles on the faces of children watching his puppets has fuelled in Suresh Bhatt a dogged spirit to move on, come what may

SKILLFUL: Suresh Bhatt demonstrating his art. - PHOTO: K. Ramesh Babu

HYDERABAD: The Rajasthani puppeteer is a household name in the slums of Bathkammakunta.

Children of the slum dote on him as he makes his bright and wide-eyed puppets in colourful costumes, dance and croon!

Indeed, necessity teaches a man the tricks of survival and battle life's odds. For Suresh Bhatt life was a bitter pill to swallow.

Poverty eclipsed his art, as this 35-year-old artiste became a puppet in the hands of moneylenders.

But he found solace, and a rebirth of sorts, in the very same puppets.

Those colourful and bright creations of his, whose voice and smiles he were, turned into his very mode of survival.

And yes, the big smiles on the faces of children watching his puppets in awe fuelled in him the dogged spirit to move on, come what may.

In debts

"It was tough for me. There was no one willing to watch puppet shows and income was zero, I was drowning in debts. I have come all the way from Jaipur in the hope of better prospects in Hyderabad," he says living in a hutment in Bathkammakunta.

The children in the slum were his new audiences as he began making what he was good at — making puppets with sticks and grass and making them talk too! As word spread, he began performing at birthday parties in the neighbourhood. Picking up the pieces of life, Suresh learned woodcarving, Rajasthani folk music and dance despite being an illiterate and slowly began spreading wings.

Now, he performs at marriages and other events and even has a small cultural troupe.

`Worst phase'

"Life was full of difficulties and at times my children went without food for two days. That was the worst phase of my life," he recalls.

Though Suresh still finds it difficult to cater to all the needs of his family, they can at least think of a having proper meal everyday.

Providing inspiration

Providing inspiration for his community members and children, he is determined to give his children a good future.

"Without a captive audience of children my art is futile. And without good education, their lives are fruitless too."

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