Miracle on Wheels is transforming lives of thousands of wheelchair users in India

Dance is truly a form of rehabilitation. It calms the mind and body and makes you feel great. Gone are days when people thought that a disabled person cannot dance. Today, we have thousands of talented and skilled disabled dancers who have showcased their performances in various platforms.

One such troupe are Miracle on Wheels, an inclusive integrated theatrical production, the first of its kind in India. In the last 30 years, they have spread their wings in Bengaluru and Delhi.

Found by Dr Pasha, the troupe has been inspiring and empowering thousands of people with various kinds of disabilities.

Recently they were in Pune to perform for injured soldiers, many of them who are war veterans and amputees. The dancers wanted to motivate the brave soldiers and pass on the message that a disability is never the end of the tunnel. On World Disability Day, the troupe also performed at South Africa with a group of disabled artists. All of them came together to share their knowledge of dance and to empower each other.

Miracle on Wheels focuses mainly on classical dance. We all know that most of our traditional art forms are dying a slow death. This group of disabled youngsters hope to revive them in all its beauty and grandeur. Since Dr Pasha was a classical dancer himself, Miracle on Wheels concentrates on showcasing cultural art forms.

Youngsters of today do not even know our epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. These beautiful tales must live on for years to come. Miracle on wheels shows you how dance can make you feel powerful. All our artists have different kinds of disabilities. But that has not stopped any of us from chasing our passion. We face numerous obstacles on our paths. Some of them get emotionally troubled due to various reasons. So we need to uplift their moods. Since we perform elaborately, we have a lot of props that need to be carried wherever we go. Being disabled people, this can get tedious- Mahira Pasha, Director, Miracle on Wheels

Having performed in thousands of venues across the globe, Miracle on Wheels has a huge fan following. They have a bunch of multi-national companies from across the globe as clients. They also excel in yoga, Sufi and Bharatanatyam on wheelchairs.

“Being a part of this troupe has changed my life. Earlier, I was considered to be a burden in my family. They never cared for me. My neighbours used to mock at me and I was ill-treated all my life. Miracle on Wheels has taught me that dance can give you a new life. Now when I go home, I am treated like a celebrity and welcomed with open arms. In the process, I also learnt new things like video editing and so on”, says 28-year-old Aashiq, a member of the troupe.

Manoj from Delhi has been a part of the venture for the past 15 years.

“Miracle on Wheels is truly a miracle in my life. We always think that wheelchairs are for medical purposes and we really cannot do anything else on wheelchairs. But the concept has totally changed. In fact, it is because of these wheelchairs that we got a new lease of life and could showcase our skills”, says Manoj.

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