Exclusive Interview Of John Devaraj

from Electronic Media ONEINDIA, 2009


http://living.oneindia.in/celebrity/celebrity-interviews/john-devaraj1.html



A man dressed in black sleeveless tee shirt and grey pants with a hook shaped whale bone pendant in his neck introduces me to his team of nearly 30 members with a warm smile. This was a varied and a special interview as it was not in a closed room of a five star hotel, which has a time limit. But, rather a journey to the little hearts (street children) who have a vision greater than any man and whose master (John Devaraj) dreams under an open sky and builds his castle strong on the ground. Though he has no or less support, his spirit for the good cause lays a strong foundation for his hope and dreams. Explore John Devaraj though an unknown personality to many, strives to make a difference in each and everybody's life.



John Devaraj the man behind the biggest love letter, creator of the logo of United Games and the master of art, music and drama shares his experience and views on child labour. He is a practicing sculptor, painter, architect, cinema and stage art director, music and documentary filmmaker, photographer, plays write actor, puppeteer facilitator and consultant for culture, youth and children organization and events.



John Devaraj and his art



What is art for you?

Art is imitating nature. Art transforms ugly things like poverty, hunger, starvation and injustice into beautiful things. Art is power, joy and revolution. Art is about change. Art is radical.



Will you please share something about your farmhouse made totally of granite slabs around two full-grown Neem trees near the Bellandur Lake?

In nature there is no straight line. So my architecture is about imitating nature. I wanted to use very little fossil fuels, as we are running out of it. They are echo friendly as well as eternal. However much you use RCC, it will live for only hundred years, but I build houses from mud and stone that is eternal. Just imagine the houses in glass that you see in Bangalore. Bangalore is an air-conditioned city, but you close everything by glass, you create so much of heat and then try to cool it, it's such a foolish way of building houses.



Many people come and see my house in Bellandur. In fact there was a study made by BBC on 75 special houses in the world. Among them seven houses were form India, in which two houses were from Karnataka and I built both.




Will you please share the story behind the new logo of United Games "Born free" as it is associated with one of your creations? Why have you given it a female figure?

It was at the height of the demolition of Babri Masjid. Then I was very disgusted with the society. So I planned to build a monument along with children for hope. I called it hope sculptor. I wanted people to come together to build something and not to destroy.



So, I went to Austin town with six tons of clay and I asked the children what should we do. They told me many different things like, tiger, lion, Parvathi, Ganesha, Saraswathi...Then one child finally said, " Anna I don't know what you want to make, but it should be that of a girl" I said excellent, what should the girl be doing? Then she stood up with one polio leg and said, "The girl should be flying free. She should be born free" So that is how I built the sculptor.



Later I was telling this story to the united games delegation people who had come to Bangalore. When they were seeing the image, the sun was setting at the back and the image was looking very dark. They said "This should be the symbol of united games of India" I created this sculptor in seven countries like Hungary, Germany, Australia...(cant recollect) everywhere.



If given a choice between teaching art and music or educating street children with letters, which one would you, choose to teach? And Why?

Art and music (says firmly) because it is rigorous and demanding. You can be literate but very ignorant without any culture. You need to be culturally educated. Many psychiatrists send their patients to me to heal through art and music. Most of these kids are also drug abused.



For example, when I work on the stone I hit it 30, 000 times a day. Which means the amount of my power and the amount of my will is so strong. Its not that I am a superman physically, but it is my mind that is powerful. While working, my mind becomes very strong and stone becomes very soft. I feel empowered, so I taught all these kids how to sculpt. It is powerful. It empowers really. Later they wanted to know about my guru Michelangelo, so I asked them to read about him. But to read that you need to know the alphabets. Here the system is the other way round. There must be a reason for it.



So, do you agree that both are important?

Yes, its like light and vision together. You have to have both.



John Devaraj and Bornfree Art School (BAS)



The idea and purpose behind the ' Born Free Art School'.

Basically I am an artist trying to look for my childhood. I want to find that play. The best part of my life was childhood. I dream about it everyday. I grow nostalgic. I want to be like a radius, an all rounder. That is what I am. I am very mischievous always having fun like all children. I have never taken life seriously. I am looking and longing for it. Therefore when I look around I try to look for it and also find partners who are looking for it. There are many children who are looking for their childhood that they have lost. So, that is how I have a reason, I don't want to do a charitable organization or an NGO. For me it is a movement. Bornfree Art School is very specially for those who have become victims of society. These children are not school drop-outs, they are school send outs.



How do you say that? Can you give an example?

They are so brilliant, Sharon. If you want to survive on the street you need to be very smart. As one of the quotes says, " I was born intelligent but education destroyed me" (we laugh). At the age of 7,8,9 they are earning Rs. 200-300 a day by performing, selling, and even stealing. You need a lot of creativity for doing these things. So, I used that opportunity. I wanted them to articulate their own experience



How long is the course for?

This is for one year. Those who get interested, they graduate to regular schools. For example Anthony went to St. Joseph Indian High School. He is in the 8th std now. He came to us through music as an excellent drummer. It changed his life. BSA changed his life. We are looking at education without punishment. We educate through entertainment.

Is there any other in Karnataka?

Hoping to start in every district of the state and in Asian countries too. We have to gather enough support. Let's hope that people will come together to start it.



How do these kids join your BAS?

Do you see the boy who is with his cap there? I just saw this kid on the street while driving today. I said heh hi! Come, come get into the van. It's just like Jesus saying, "Come I will make you fishers of men". He got in and he is with me today.



Can any common man pick a street kid and drop him in your BAS?

Yes! Definitely.



In a world that has forgotten that "people are born free", you try reminding them by your unique and creative work, for instance the cultural block of the Born free Art School in the St Joseph Indian High School was incredible. What I want to ask is how far have these children from schools and colleges been a part of building your dream?

For me it was a response to what happened to Babri Masjid. They destroyed it. I wanted to bring the earth together to build a dome together. More than 4,000 children came together to build it. I called that moment " A fistful of earth to free children from bondage". We pressed the clay into a brick and built a school. The children were of great help, but finally the idea was not accepted by the school because of ego problems. Then we had to leave the school. It was the dream and desire of 4000 children. Egos of men don't let ideas flourish. The whole thing is if you want to bring a radical change there is a problem. Today the shell is there, but the spirit is not there. It is used as dump.



Was there anytime you wanted to do something but you were left alone, with no one at your side?

Most often it is like that. Among the hundred plans I do only ten may work, because these plans are too big and they were earth-shaking plans. But, I am an obstinate and a stubborn person for, this cause is so good. I keep working on it. For me there is no question of success or failure at all. The journey is more important than the destination. It is always a process.



Now we went to St. Mary's orphanage the priests also behave in same way. We talk about Christianity, about church... I think the most beautiful street child was Jesus himself. They don't regard it. In the name of Jesus they made everything a market.



What is the similarity between Jesus Christ and a street child?

He is the best-known street child in the world. At 12 he was already on the street. He left his family and started doing rag picking. Finding out all wise people. Most of his sources were from the street, philosophers, poets and writers. He became a very great man because he lived and died for them. For me He is the inspiration.



You teamed up twenty former street children, trained them in photography and took them for a wonderful operation called 'History Expedition'. They photographed street kids in South Indian States covering about 4000 km in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Goa. I believe they had photographed around 25, 000 pictures. It was big news in November. But, what was the later outcome of that? Did any government or a corporate come forward and say 'Heh John you are doing a great work I am going to help you?'

First and foremost those who participated in the history expedition became very powerful. I want to give you the example of Jayram. Jayram has been a child criminal. He was a bar and a restaurant worker, now he has become a fine sculptor, painter, writer and photographer. Finally when he photographed in Hubli, he was hand cuffed, because he was photographing a domestic child labourer. The owners of the child labourer said that he was actually trying to instigate people. So they hand cuffed him, beat him and paraded him to the Police station. At the police station Jayram had the courage to say, "thank you, for the first time I came to police for the right cause, I came for child right". So he has been completely transformed from child criminal to a child liberator.

The history expedition laid so much of impact. It made people to talk about it. And to talk about government or corporate, they wont come forward. I have seen so many people they don't want to come up. They would come forward for charity but they will take a back seat when they hear a word called 'Revolution'. Many people have forgotten what revolution is. It is very difficult to do it, for you will not have much support.



I appealed to so many people. Why they don't want to come up? It's too much. It's the cause and reason for child exploitation.



What future do you see for these children, for example Jayram, what does he want to be tomorrow?

He wants to be a professional, sculptor, musician and painter. His dream is to build a school, a Bornfree school. A born free art school is already in the hearts of these 15 - 20 kids. Soon we will have 15-20 born free art schools. We want them to be professional people who will earn a living from it and then contribute to one another.



Now about your biggest achievement, " The worlds largest love letter" in Chinnaswamy Cricket stadium in Bangalore. Please share your experience on it.

I visited about 30 countries in my life, but my greatest dream has been to go to Pakistan. The problem in our country is the division between India and Pakistan. If this thing is sorted out many of our problems will be solved. We will become a much better society. Actually we do not have any deep conflict with anybody in this world, especially the people of Pakistan. So I started collecting signatures from people. I wanted to create a letter of love. 'From Bangalore to Lahore one ore, one heart.' That is my first initial movement.



At the same time they were two Americans who were also planning to collect some signatures. Then they heard someone called John Devaraj in Bangalore. We were doing a campaign on M G Road then. John Silliphant walked up to me and said I want to be a part of it. Then he said, "I want to do a letter related to friends without borders." I said if you want to do this letter then it has to be world's biggest letter. He asked me whether I could do it. I said yes of course. He asked me "how long will it take?" I said 2-3 days and he asked, "how big it should be?" I replied as big as the stadium and it will cost about one Lakh for only the material.




What is it made of?

Plastic. We worked on an idea where we got several hundreds of pieces of plastics, on which I could write and this is going to the cyclone victims for their shelter ultimately. So, I wrote it in about 48 hours. And sharon the most important thing that I cherish is, I could write in Urdu. Thousands of children, lakhs of children became one million of children who signed the letter.



What is your future plans?

I want to paint the world's largest canvas on child labour. It is going to happen in last week of January. If someone can offer the money for it I will do it. Because the problem is so big. It is a civil war.

John Devaraj on Child Labour laws and globalisation



What is your view on the law regarding Child labour?

There is a law, which says employing a child below the age of 14 is punishable with Rs. 25000 as fine or three months imprisonment. It is stupid. Whom are you going to fight against? As I see, it's the same issue as dowry. Dowry is prohibited and banned, but who cares. Dowry goes on.



Don't you think, since the child labour act says that if the child is made to work in hazardous condition then he will come under child labour act is not apt? Do you think this is the reason for a child working as a domestic labourer or in a hotel or the child who is selling some things on the road cannot be rescued?

Yes. Hazardous that is a stupid thing. Don't you think the child working in a house is not hazardous? Once there was a vice president of a big corporate, I don't want to disclose the name. His wife beat the child with a big key on the head and she was bleeding badly. Isn't it hazardous to beat a child with the key? That child somehow managed to call the Child Helpline. With the mobile number they were able to track where she was, and she was rescued. So, Child labour is hazardous because we are denying childhood. It is criminal. To answer your question, society is not sensible enough. Like I said dowry is bad but wife burning is common.



Do you point at globalisation for the growth rate of child labours in the city?

Yes it is the cause. For example when you buy ten rupees coca- cola eight rupees goes to America, two rupees stays in India. But, if you buy a tender coconut, the money stays in India as well as it is very good for health.



Landlessness, poverty, starvation, peasants committing suicide is all because of globalisation.



# His early life

# John Devaraj in one word

Funny! Because most women want their men to be humorous. (Laughs)



Are you married

Yes, I am. I have a daughter who is studying in II PUC in Christ College.



A little about your childhood.

I was in Mysore climbing tall trees (laughs as he recollects). I took care of animals in the Mysore zoo, when I was about eight years old. My job was to chase the monkeys in the zoo with the help of caterpillars, who used to eat other animals food. One of my great experiences was with one of my friend, who was my neighbour. We went to the kangaroo enclosure. We were watching them when they started moving further. We tried to save our skin and ran but my friend could not escape as his shorts got caught in the fences and it was dangling. He was crying for help but we couldn't help him. Finally the kangaroo came and licked his backside with his sand paper like tongue (guffaw). But when his shorts finally fell down we had to run for our life as he was up in his arms.



Other one is on the first day of my college I took a donkey to the class. This time I was hacked as my friends ditched me and told the teacher who brought the donkey. Then the teacher sent me out of the class and failed me in the final practical.



I read in one of the articles that you were eleven members in your family. Is it true?

Yes. That is how I learnt to live equally.

Most beautiful moment in your life.

(Thinks for a while) there are so many beautiful moments. Climbing the tallest tree in Mysore.... many



As a child what did you always dream to be?

I have a great feeling for art. I have a great vision in my life where I would be standing on top of the building, with all the school kids below. And then I'll say 'watch me' and then jump off the building. But then I will not fall down but start flying making the kids amazed. This I the consistent dream I had. I was such a dreamer.


How did it all start?

I never started with the plan. It is a process rather. It is a kind of growth. It is a logical development. Even if you are aging you ripen as you grow. Its not one after the other. Its one along with the other.


Where do you see yourself from five years from know?

I didn't wear the glasses...(laughs)



Do you do something else other than this? Do you work somewhere else?

I design logos. I work wherever I get a commission. In last two days I acted as villain in a television serial called, ' Kitchu' which is telecasted in E TV Kannada. I work on documentaries, film editing and music editing.



Doesn't you family get upset with you are they supportive?

They are. My wife works for an NGO. But she is rich and I am poor. We enter into different level of friendship. Its not traditional husband and wife. It's different and difficult. It's a stage that you work towards. Otherwise you become stagnant. Life becomes boring.



Your idea of romance.

Talking like this. It's very romantic. I am enjoying this whole conversation. For me romance is not just a boy and a girl. Romance is being passionate in everything that you do. I am very romantic in playing football. I am a great football fan. When the ball is going through the goal it is the most romantic moment. T. S Eliot says, " On my death bed, I will not remember the verses that I wrote, not the girls with the mini skirts, but the pass that I made in football team and the confidence that installed in my colleague."