THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Their jaw-dropping acrobats, grease-painted faces and mind-boggling stunts had regaled us with it’s surriality and simplicity at the same measure inside those palatial tents that served entertainment, and entertainment alone. But, they themselves languished in rude ironies of life.
However, not all is lost for these circus artists. The state government, through an initiative by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, will honour 21 circus artists in Thalassery on Tuesday.
They will be entitled to all benefits, including insurance coverage and medical assistance.
The programme is also a commemoration of Keeleri Kunhikannan, the father of Kerala Circus, on the occasion of his 160th birth anniversary.
“An astonishing number of 250 people took part in a meeting held in Thalassery in June to draw up plans to support circus artists.
They were categorised as sportsperson until then and we demanded that they be brought under the ‘artist’ section. Now on, they will be eligible for the same awards and benefits that other artistes enjoy,” said Soorya Krishnamoorthy, chairman of the Akademi.
Awards are divided into 11 categories: Circus literature, music, trapeze, balancing, gymnastics, ring master, trainer, tent setting, motor cycle, cycle balancing and clown. Lakshmi T,103, will be the oldest living member at the event.
She was a rope dancer along with Whiteway Keeleri and Grand Fairy Circus troupes.
A 21-member committee comprising Edward Alfred Williams, grandson of Keeleri Kunhikannan, has been monitoring the affairs . “Maintaining a circus company was a difficult task and after grandpa died, nobody from our family got into his shoes,” says Edward, who retired as manager from a private company.
Floral tributes will be offered to Keeleri Kunhikannan at Thalassery and the road to his home will be named after the maestro.
The Akademi is also planning to errect a statue themed ‘circus-Thalassery-Keeleri’.