Kathputli (puppet) Colony, located in west Delhi's Shadipur Depot area, is probably one of the biggest hubs of street artists in India.
Sadly, it is also one of the most neglected.
The colony comprises more than 4,000 families of artists, which include puppeteers, snake charmers, jugglers, drummers, folk dancers, singers, musicians and magicians — all residing in the sprawling "slum" area.
The performers, with valid passports, have travelled and showcased their talent in several countries. Many paraded their skills at the prestigious Festivals of India in Tokyo, London, Washington and New York.
Though having different pursuits, their common lament is, "Unlike other countries, the Indian government does not promote talent."
"We realise the value of our art only on foreign shores. The welcoming treatment given to us by programme organisers abroad is tremendous. But in our own country we are reduced to performing only at marriage functions. That, too, is rare, because DJs get more preference," says Kailash, a drummer.
Kathputli Colony is about 50 years old. Initially, a few families had come from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, and set up temporary hutments there. It has grown from there over the years and people have been living in the slum with dilapidated houses and claustrophobic lanes for three generations.
A walk through the lanes means exposing yourself to the nauseating stench and filthy living conditions. Women there say there is a lack of proper water or sanitation. Residents must trudge every day to a source of drinking water, for their own hand pumps have fallen into disrepair.
But the most amazing bit about the dwellers is that almost every household has more than one performing artist.
Just broach the subject, and out come the photo albums, which are referred to as portfolios.
Not many, though, want their children to follow in their footsteps. Living in a 10x10-foot room, Ramesh laments: "There is no point in pursuing this profession. I have sent one of my sons to work at a shopping mall. Since he is not educated, he is doing the job of a cleaner. But I want him to do well and not suffer like us."
The living conditions leave the residents with little choice and some continue to remain die-hard artists. "This is the only art we have and whenever or whatever work comes our way, we take it," one of them said.
There was a time when work was aplenty. But the glitter and glamour of their profession withered with the advent of cable TV, the internet and other means of entertainment. "Since we were often without work for months, we have reconciled ourselves to this life of taking up sundry jobs to run our homes," Ramesh says.
"I have performed in more than seven countries, but am virtually unknown in my own. Out of a sense of shame, I used to avoid giving my address to people abroad. Once some of them came looking for us on their visit to India and were shocked to see us living in these conditions," he says, standing outside his decrepit house amid dirt and slush.
Ravi Bhatt, a drummer, has travelled to several countries, including Germany and Holland. "Everyone takes us for granted, and we never get the promised amount after our performance," he says. Pointing towards his 12-year-old nephew, Sachin, the drummer said: "He is an extremely talented dancer and went to Holland recently. But unfortunately, he has got into bad company and now whiles away his time loitering about with children who don't attend school."
Lack of education is one of the drawbacks these artists face. And language being a barrier, they are often taken for a ride.
Raj Bhatt, a Rajasthani folk dancer who has performed in Germany, Paris, South Africa and Dubai, says: "A Mumbai-based company hired many of us to perform in the United States at the wedding of an Indian business tycoon's daughter. We were promised Rs5,000 [Dh373] per day for 15 days, but all we got was Rs1,200 per day."
Bhatt's wife, Roma, is also an accomplished dancer and has performed abroad a number of times.
Married for 11 years and living in the Kathputli Colony, she says: "All we ask the government to do is provide us with better living conditions and promote our heritage and culture. But only the rich are given the opportunity to perform at prestigious events."
Ishamuddin Khan seconds Roma's thought. "When the 2010 Commonwealth Games were organised, a lot of my friends were sure that my name would be in the list. But everyone was shocked when I was not invited to perform," he says.
Famous for The Indian Rope Trick, Khan claims to be the only person in the world to have performed it outdoors. In the trick, the magician hurls a rope in the air, which stands erect in mid-air. The magician's little assistant then climbs up the rope and then down again.
Leaving people dumbfounded, the shows were widely reported in the media around the world. It earned him brownie points but the magic did not change his luck. Rather, it made him so cynical that he dissuaded his children to ever think of the profession and ensured good education for them.
The artists live in obscurity despite their many achievements. A puppeteer sums up the collective feeling: "A time will come when India will have to call artists from abroad to perform here."
Nilima Pathak is a journalist based in New Delhi.
