Eighty years old and still holding on to puppet strings

Such assignments have however reduced to a trickle. He gets around couple of a hundred rupees for every show but most of the money is spent on autorickshaw fare.

The frail frame however conceals a sharp brain which is a mine of stories and holds memories of a glorious past. Ranaji has been to around half-a-dozen countries like the USA, Germany, and France with his puppets. Each time, he returned with accoladesfrom art lovers.

He reels off names of personalities who’ve seen him perform. “A member of the Kennedy clan was so impressed by my performance in New Jersey years ago that he gave me the coat he was wearing on the spot,” he informs, his voice ringing with pride.

He also represented the country in cultural festivals abroad on several occasions. But the glory has become a thing of the past. And Ranaji was unable to save for a rainy day; the children’s marriages and community feasts ensured that he never had money to spare.

But he is quick to acknowledge the help he received from the Sarabhai family and B B Bhasin, former managing director of the Gujarat Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation, when he “needed it most”. It is because of this timely help and patronage, he says, that he was able to tour tribal areas like the Dangs, Anjar, Mundhra, north Gujarat and south Rajasthan. But walking long distances and using a horse to travel is now telling on his health. With age catching on, he hasbeen forced to restrict his movements. Invitations to perform are now received mainly from government and panchayat bodies, where he is often required to deviate from the old tales of valour and tyranny to more contemporary themes like prohibition.

Conscious of the fact that he is growing older and weaker by the day, Ranaji is busy preparing the next generation to take over. Besides his son, his 12-year old grandson too has joined the family occupation. Through him, Ranaji’s tales will hopefully be retold.