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Summary
Jumping from one rock to the other, scaling walls or any man-made height without any aid, Jyoti Raju truly lives up to his nick name 'monkey king'. He shows his self-acquired skills to entertain visitors at the Chitradurga Fort in India's southern state of Karnataka. His swift, smooth, efficient and direct moves are much similar to Parkour, a mixture of acrobatics, sport and martial arts that are swiftly becoming popular with youngsters in Western countries. Parkour requires determination and mental prowess while jumping from one height to another. Raju, 23, who grew up as a laborer, started practicing this new form of art only four years ago. Facing the prospect of suicide, he faced a major turning point in his life when, rather than giving up his life by jumping off a cliff, he was inspired by the relative ease and physical prowess of monkeys. Now he has mastered his craft by studying his favorite animals. He has now struck a kinship with the creatures in the Chitradurga fort area, earning a new name for himself - 'Kothi Raju'. Now he wants to popularize his art among kids and want some help from the government or individuals. When it's not monkeys, he watches 'Spider Man' to conjure up new stunts and maneuvers.
