Jeenaa yahaa, maranaa yahaa, iske siwaa jaanaa kahaan... No, we are not talking about the all-time popular song but of the sentiments of the artistes of the Jumbo Circus, that is showing in Bangalore.
If it was the adventure element that lured a few to the world of circus, it was having relatives and friends that made others join the field. Whatever the reason, each day and each show is all about having fun and helping each other forget their grief of having to live away from their families, says clown Kalam Khan, who has been with the circus for over 30 years now. “As a kid, I was always fascinated by the circus. I loved watching it and much against my family’s wishes joined it. I was not interested in studying and this was my alternate option.’’ Circus has given him an opportunity to travel all over India and Bangalore is one of his favourite places. ``Circus has also made me a star, back home in Bihar. I have ‘chelas’ (followers). Most importantly, I make people laugh and I feel good about it. They may be laughing at my antics or my deformity, but at least I have all the body parts and I’m healthy,’’ adds Khan who has also acted in Dharam Veer and many Malayalam movies. “Circus is accha (good) pastime,” he says.
For Preethi, who performs the ladder balance trick, circus was inevitable as her parents were in the field.” This is where I found my life partner too. I wanted to study but it was not possible, but I want my children to be well-educated. I’ll work here as long as I have to in order to fend for my children’s education. “ I really miss them. Also living in the tents during rainy season spells trouble but we are used to it now,” she says. Her son Lokesh, who is here to spend sometime with her says that it is equally tough for his sister and him. “But I don’t want to be in the circus. I plan to start my own business so I have to study, for which I have to stay away from my parents,” he says. His father Mohan, who has been in the circus for nearly 20 years now, says that they have learned to live happily in the circus setup. “It’s like one big family here. But what we feel bad about at times is that people don’t accord us due credit. After all we perform live for them and they at least should give more respect,” he says.
The Russian troupe which is a part of the Jumbo circus agrees. Says troupe manager Eshmatov Bahodir Batirovich, “People need to be more supportive here. Back home in Russia, circus is a very serious affair. It is a well-respected job and offers a secure life. We even have a circus college there.” Nevertheless, their experience in India has been very fruitful, he says. “We have learnt so much from our Indian counterparts and South Indian food is something that we relish,” the artistes added.
Social security after having quit the circus is something that constantly plays in the minds of the artistes. “How much will a circus company also do? Like Kerala government, which extends certain benefits to circus artistes, the other states should also do something,” they feel.
Jumbo Circus promoter Premnath also feels that governments could do their bit in sustaining this “healthy recreational programme”. All states should provide pension and health benefits, he suggests. ``It is difficult to retain artistes otherwise. The ban on the use of wild animals has already led to a loss of 30 per cent and we have also had to invest in alternatives such as introduction of Russian artistes, and technology that makes the show more attractive, given the onslaught of TV and cinema.’’
