Kuda Bux (1905-1981)

Kashmiri stage magician who demonstrated claimed feats of eyeless sight and fire walking. Born at Akhnur, Kashmir, on October 15, 1905, he moved to London in 1935. He first practiced fire walking at age 14 and subsequently devoted himself to public performances of stage magic. He normally performed fire walking only at an annual religious festival and claimed that his immunity from burns was attributable to this faith, conferred by a higher power in India. He also claimed to be able to convey his immunity to others and take them over the fire walk without burns.

During 1935 Kuda Bux cooperated with psychical researcher Harry Price in two fire walk tests under control conditions, on September 9 and September 17. Scientific observers carefully monitored all aspects of the fire walk. Kuda Bux's feet were examined, and no chemical or other preparation was discovered. The temperature of his feet was taken before and after the walk and was found to be slightly lower after it. His feet were not blistered or injured in any way. The skin was soft and not calloused; moreover the feet were washed and dried before the walk.

The surface temperature of the fire trench on the second day was 430°C. The trench was 25 feet long by 6 feet wide and 9 inches deep. Kuda Bux walked the trench deliberately and steadily in 4.5 seconds; the estimated time of contact of each foot with the burning embers was half a second. The tests were photographed and a cinematographic record taken. A volunteer European, Digby Moynagh, attempted the walk on both days but suffered some blistering of the feet. A full report of the tests appeared in Bulletin II of the University of London Council for Psychical Investigation in 1936. These tests made Kuda Bux well known, and he performed in British variety theaters with his impressive act of "eyeless sight." (Fire departments would not permit fire trenches to be built on stage for demonstrations of fire walking.)

In 1938 Kuda Bux traveled to the United States to demonstrate his fire walk for a Robert Ripley "Believe It or Not" radio program and later became a member of the Society of American Magicians. He demonstrated his eyeless vision act widely and in 1945 rode a bicycle through the heavy traffic of Times Square in New York while blindfolded.

Magicians claim that such performances are tricks, in spite of the performer's being heavily blindfolded, with balls of dough placed over the eyes and secured with yards of bandages. The skeptical view is that the dough and bandages are shifted sufficiently by the performer to enable him to squint underneath them.

Kuda Bux claimed that his performance consisted of feats of mental concentration, establishing a link between his mind and outside objects, although he admitted to practicing conjuring tricks in his acts.

(See also Fire Ordeal ; Rosa Kuleshova ; Jules Romains ; Seeing with the Stomach ; Transposition of the Senses )