NEW DELHI: Bringing a smile on the faces of those who are uncertain of their future and living in shelter homes through these testing times was a challenge like none other for Clownselors founder Sheetal Agarwal.
"It was not easy to cheer them up. The atmosphere inside these temporary shelter homes is very different and painful. I would say cheering them up, making them smile or laugh was definitely one of the most difficult challenges I’ve faced till date. I could see the pain in their eyes and it was difficult to process," said Sheetal who last visited the Yamuna Sports Complex shelter home three days ago.
Sheetal founded Clownselors back in 2016 — a medical clowning group with volunteers who would dress up like clowns and visit hospitals to cheer up patients under medication. Started with Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, Sheetal and her team now visit many state-run hospitals for Delhi government’s project Happiness Therapy.
The idea to provide some emotional relief to the migrants stuck in such shelter homes came to Sheetal when she saw a news article regarding a magician visiting such facilities. Sheetal did not include her team members for safety purposes and it was she and her sister who went to three such shelter homes — Radha Swami Shelter, Rain Basera in Kotla and Yamuna Sports Complex.
"The experiences have been mixed. Seeing people participate, smile and laugh did bring joy to the clowns as well. Some babas sang and danced, children sang rhymes, played along, women danced and giggled, while at the men’s shelter one of them sang beautifully," Sheetal noted.
But for Sheetal, the experiences have been life-changing. She said that she doesn’t have the emotional capacity to visit or return to any of these shelter homes anymore, especially Yamuna Sports Complex.
"I saw so much pain that I failed to make any more visits. Their eyes spoke of how desperate they are to go back to their native state. All of them are living in such difficult circumstances. While performing some engaged with us while one broke down and couldn’t hold back her tears. I hope all of them get a chance to go back home," Sheetal said.