/Nexus - 1406 - New Times Magazine/pages/0062/image.png)
Page Content (OCR)
ANCIENT INDIAN JUGGLERS name of the Shudgarshid (from Shudgar, The account is given by the Emperor, burial-ground; and shid, proficient), and who was so struck with astonishment at the This article is reprinted verbatim from the whose detestable trade it is to prowl about wonders which these men wrought that he Illustrated London News newspaper of 27 burning and burialgrounds to collect certain ascribes them to supernatural power. The April 1861, "Relics of the Past" column. pieces of human bone, with which they are performers were first desired to produce ~ Editor supposed to work their sorceries. upon the spot, from the seed, ten mulberry lhe amazing performances of the The race commonly understood by the __ trees. They immediately sowed, in separate Eastern Magi, of which we have appellation of Indian jugglers have, places, seed in the ground, and in a few authentic details in the Old however, no such repulsive characteristics, minutes after a mulberry plant was seen Testament, have been the subject of though they pretend to magical powers, and springing from each of the seeds, every speculation rather than inquiry as many of their performances, whether in the plant as it rose in the air shooting forth interesting as it is puzzling. An attempt to way of ingenuity or physical activity, are leaves and branches, and yielding excellent investigate by what agency they were absolutely marvellous, and have been fruit. In the same manner, and by a similar effected would be trenching upon delicate handed down from the most remote occult process, apple-trees, mangoes, fig- ground, ground already occupied by the _ periods. trees, almond, and walnut trees, were controversy between the authors of the In a Persian "Essays and Reviews" and their opponents. manuscript of We restrict ourselves to the speculation, great antiquity, and even this only by way of suggesting, containing the whether the jugglers of India, whose memoirs of the performances so far outstrip any by their Emperor European counterparts, may not trace their Jahangueir, origin to those wise men of the East from written by whom they derive their lore in spells and himself, there is charms, if not their feats of muscular a remarkable agility. There seems, at least, much description of the probability that the performers who operations of frequent the public wells and halting-places certain Bengal in the East exhibiting feats of legerdemain jugglers, who for the amusement of the travelling were called upon merchants are of the same family not only to perform for of the snake-charmers, but of the Garodi _ the entertainment (juggler) tribe, who are known also by the _ of the court.* “dee we there pe?" The account is given by the Emperor, who was so struck with astonishment at the wonders which these men wrought that he ascribes them to supernatural power. The performers were first desired to produce upon the spot, from the seed, ten mulberry trees. They immediately sowed, in separate places, seed in the ground, and in a few minutes after a mulberry plant was seen springing from each of the seeds, every plant as it rose in the air shooting forth leaves and branches, and yielding excellent fruit. In the same manner, and by a similar occult process, apple-trees, mangoes, fig- trees, almond, and walnut trees, were “dee we there per?" NEXUS = 61 ANCIENT INDIAN JUGGLERS OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com