As one enters the gate and climbs the steps to get into the platform where people stand to witness the show, the arena of the ‘Maut ka kunwa’ (well of death) doesn’t seem much; that is until the show actually begins.
All doubts on whether the show will be entertaining or not are blown away simply with the adrenaline rush that can be felt while watching the thrilling show in which a young man first zips past spectators on a Yamaha bike. And at a height of 24-feet, going round and round everyday for days together, the well, made up of wooden planks, is tested when five bikers and four Maruti 800 cars are all on it, engaging in daredevilry.
“It is serious business, not something that we do for fun. Our coordination is all about timing and eye contact,” mentions Mohd. Afroz Alam (38), who leads the group of stuntmen. They are all residents of Ranchi, Jharkhand, and he is one among the four who drive cars in the well of death, while five others ply their bikes in the well, which is tilted at an 85 degree angle.
Visitors at the performances are testimony enough to their gutsy show, which has people clutching each other with excitement and fear on their faces. One can only wonder what might be going in the minds of these daredevils who leave the handlebars of their bikes, and sit out of the window as the vehicles go round and around in the well.
Needless to say, the reverberations of the show can be also felt outside, with the noise of the wooden planks shaking, by those who wait to get in for the next show. “We take lot of precautions, and most of our performances are spontaneous,” states Mohd. Musaraf Ansari, a 28-year-old member from the group, which consists of 10 nine people.
“All of us have the same story — we watched the well of death at melas and wanted to be a part of it,” said Afroz, and further mentioned that the first ride is enough to judge whether a person is good enough to be taken into the team or not. “After that it takes six months of daily practice, and in a year a rider becomes perfect at performing,” he explained. The show starts every evening after 5.30 p.m. at the Numaish.
