SURESH BABY: STANDING LIKE A STATUE FOR HOURS TOGETHER
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| Suresh Baby, near Agricultural College, Thavanoor, Manappuram |
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Suresh Baby gets meager amounts for working as daily labourer in sand quarries. Ditto for the work in digging wells. But sometimes he gets Rs.400 to 1000 per day for doing nothing! To put it more plainly, for acting as a living statue.
For 5 to 8 hours at a stretch, barring all movements of the body and muscles, concealing even the inhalation and exhalation and without batting an eyelid, Suresh can stand like a statue. Thus he is on demand during Onam and other festivals to stand in front of jewellery shops – for publicity.
Whatever the provocations from the spectators, Suresh can withstand the temptation to laugh or lose temper. Son of a mason, Suresh says about his job: many people can work by the strength of their limbs, but to work without moving a limb requires more effort.
He was inspired to don the role of a statue after a study tour to Chennai as an 8th standard student. While other students and teachers were waiting for him at the canteen in a tourist Park, Suresh was found missing. A frantic search revealed that he was standing at the entrance, staring at the person who had dressed up as a statue. From then onwards Suresh was sure what his calling in life was. He has been perfecting the art of being a statue and giving performances at places between Kasargod and Thrissur.
By the age of 26 he gained enough control over the body to stand frozen in any pose. Even facial expressions like smile or fear could be frozen on his face for 5 hours or more.
Thus by his stoic poise which borders on the yogic equanimity, Suresh is rising above praise and blame and all temptations at least during the period of his performance.
Courtesy: V.K.Sreeraman, Kalakaumudi, October 13,2002
Contributed by: Administrator
