Kerala: Magician Manu Mankombu, Who Shot to Fame With 808 Fire Escapes, Now Sells Chips for Living

Thiruvananthapuram, December 18: Kerala magician Manu Mankombu's journey from obscurity to prominence by doing 808 hearth escapes, is a factor of the previous as now the 46-year-old ekes out his dwelling by making and promoting chips at a kiosk run by him in his residence village -- Mankombu. Abject poverty and a life beneath a railway bridge in Kurla close to Mumbai on the tender age of 16 didn't deter Manu from persuing magic -- his sole ardour. In 1997, he began performing stage reveals and created a reputation for himself by doing 808 hearth escapes. In a chat with IANS, Manu hailing from Alappuzha revealed his life trajectory which has been a bumpy one. "My passion for magic started in grade six when I met local magician Poovathil Raghavan who trained me. A few years later, I got to do my first stage show. Soon I was asked by the then great magician R.K. Malayathu to share a stage with him in Palakkad," mentioned Manu. After failing in grade X in 1994, sixteen-year-old Manu determined to strive his luck in Mumbai and boarded a practice to town of desires quietly with Rs 420 stolen from residence. Kerala: 8-Year-Old Girl Approaches High Court Over False Accusation of Theft, Seeks Rs 5 Million Compensation. He landed in Mumbai with out realizing anybody or the language. For nearly 4 months he slept beneath a railway bridge close to the Kurla railway station with canines and pigs as his firm. For 10 days he labored as a cleansing boy at a bakery however someday was crushed by the proprietor for no fault of his prompting him to depart. "I used to draw properly and whereas idling beneath the railway bridge I used to draw and obtained to know an area Jadugar. For some purpose he took a liking for me and we turned buddies. One day I taught the Jadugar a card trick and in flip he taught me three tips and from then our friendship grew and we moved close to to Ullas Nagar. He used to promote small properties for doing magic. Every day, I'd get Rs 7 as my each day wage which I'd cover cover the saved cash in an enormous gap in a wall close to the VT railway station in Mumbai," mentioned Manu. He mentioned when he was ready to save Rs 200 for the primary time he determined to ship a cash order to his father who was working as a labourer in an property at Palakkad in Kerala. "Few weeks after I send him the money, while I was painting a picture on a wall near Ullas Nagar, when someone tapped on my back and turning around, I was surprised to see my father and a cousin of mine. He wanted me to return, but I refused. Then my cousin got me a job as an artist in a painting showroom and for six months, I worked there and after an year in Mumbai, I returned to my village," added Manu. Kerala Missing Baby Case: CWC Team Arrives With Baby After Sit-Protest by Mother, Now All Eyes on DNA Test Results. Upon returning, he bought lot of articles used for doing magic reveals. "It was in 1996 I did my first show in my village, for a local club where I got Rs 32 as my remuneration. I took Rs 2 and returned Rs 30. In 1996, I formed Alleppey Magic Vision and in 1997 I did my first fire escape. After that I started getting shows and by now I have performed 808 fire escapes, which is a record and I have all the papers to show all the fire escapes which I have done," added Manu. When life was progressing easily, got here the worst ever 2018 Kerala floods. As he hails from water logged Mankombu and his whole magic props have been washed away by the gushing waters. During the floods, he had a fibre boat on which he rescued 65 individuals of his village to security. His utility for compensation for the loss suffered due to the floods is with Kerala authorities and he hopes to get it quickly, mentioned Manu. After dropping all his props, he was in nice misery. His buddies got here to his rescue and pooled in Rs 10 lakhs, which he has taken as a mortgage and he regrouped his troupe once more. "In 2020, I was thrilled beyond words, when I got a call from Mumbai's Ullas Nagar, where I was sleeping on the roads. They after learning that I was a full time magician, asked me to stage shows in Mumbai. It was the biggest crowning moment in my life and on March 10 I reached Mumbai with my troupe and staged one show exactly at the place where I slept, years back. When I felt Mumbai after conducting 18 shows, Covid was spreading. We reached a day before the lockdown was announced and 21 stage shows was booked at that time in Kerala," mentioned Manu. He mentioned for the reason that lockdown until as we speak, due to Covid protocols he couldn't carry out a single present and life has returned to the laborious days, nearly comparable to what it was when he was 16. "With no earnings and a school-going daughter, one day I was recalling the beating I got from the bakery owner in Mumbai. The next morning I decided I will open a bakery at a small room which my mother has in my home village- Mankombu. I opened the Vismaya Bakery and now I make hot steaming chips and at the end of the day, I go home with around Rs 500 for meeting our daily needs," mentioned Manu. Manu, regardless of the harrowing time, has not misplaced hope and has simply needs to get again to do what he's greatest at- performing magic. "Am still reeling under the Rs 10 lakhs debt which my friends arranged for me and as and when the Covid protocols are lifted, I will get back to magic and repay the debt, which is my priority," added Manu. (The above story first appeared on SociallyKeeda on Dec 18, 2021 02:59 PM IST. For more information and updates on politics, world, sports activities, entertainment and way of life, go online to our web site sociallykeeda.com).