Kuda Bux

Category: Magician

Kuda Bux walking on red-hot charcoal at first trial during final test, September 17, 1935

Kuda Bux (17 February 1905 – 5 February 1981), whose actual name was Khudah Bukhsh, was a magician and fire walker.  He was born in Kashmir.

In one of his most famous performances he would cover his eyes with soft dough balls, blindfold himself, swath his entire head in strips of cloth, and yet still be able to see.

Bux was the subject of a 1950 film titled Kuda Bux, Hindu Mystic, and his apparent ability to see while blindfolded with dough balls strongly influenced British author Roald Dahl in his short story of Henry Sugar, a man who was taught to develop the same powers.

 

Observers noted that the unblindfolded Bux required reading glasses to read fine print. While blindfolded he would read the dates on coins which were held in a spectator's hand, read the fine print of a magazine, thread a needle, duplicate words he had never seen written, shoot a bullseye with a pellet gun, and many other tricks.

Kuda Bux's feet being medically examined by physician immediately

before first trial at final fire-walk, September 17, 1935.

According to Vincent J. Daczynski, in 1935 Bux demonstrated fire walking in front of an audience of scientists from the University of London Council for Psychical Research and news reporters. He walked across a twelve foot pit of burning hot coals unscathed. Bux's feet were checked before and after the fire walking demonstration to verify that no protective chemicals, topical creams or herbs were used. It was a very windy day and the surface temperature of the fire was read at 806 degrees Fahrenheit. The body of the fire was measured at 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt steel. After Bux walked through the coals, a cameraman who had messed up some photographs of the event asked for a retake. Bux obliged by repeating the fire walk. Again, his feet were checked before and after the fire walking demonstration.

In his later life, Khudah Bukhsh lost his eyesight to glaucoma. He died in 1981, aged 75.

Observations

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• Jacques Romano on the feats of Kuda Bux
• Kuda Bux - Blindsight
• Kuda Bux - Over hot coals
• Kuda Bux - The Man with the X Ray eyes