World Juggling Day: Spare a thought for the smiles we bring, say Delhi artistes

They’ve left us amazed, in awe and even puzzled, at times. But, in their quest to balance work and the future of their families, jugglers are in a limbo. A regular feature at birthday parties and informal gatherings, juggling acts are fast being replaced. On World Juggling Day (June 17), Delhi-based jugglers share their struggles as they strive to survive and regain respect.

“I’ve been a juggler since I was seven,” says Manmohan Das, a resident of Shakarpur. His family has entertained people for generations, but given the limited earning capacity in the present-day scenario, he is uncertain about passing down his art form. “Our earnings are seasonal; it’s only [from] birthday parties. I’m teaching my six-year-old son to juggle and I want him to feel proud of the work I do. But, I don’t want him to take up this art as a full-time profession as it’s not enough to survive today,” adds Das.

Another juggler, Ajay Kumar, was introduced to the art form early on in life, having resided in Aali Village, Badarpur, which is home to a community of street artistes. But, he feels his profession lacks a certain amount of respect in the eyes of the public. “Iss kaam ki samaaj mein aaj bhi izzat nahin hai,” he continues, “It has been four years since I performed at a show. Covid-19 se pehle hafte ke ₹8,000-9,000 mil jaate the. Par Covid ke baad, poore hafte mein ₹5,000 tak hi bann paate hain.” Kumar is, hence, doing everything possible to ensure a secure future for his son, who is now six: “My son is studying in a government school in Lodhi Colony.”

The likes of Christopher Joseph are a blessing in the lives of these entertainers. An engineer by profession, Joseph helps educate children of jugglers, among other street artistes, for free. “I conduct evening classes in Shadipur. These children often feel their fathers are struggling by choice, but little do they know that their fathers don’t have a choice as they don’t have an alternative to earn a livelihood,” he says.

Satwinder Setia, a retired software developer from Rohini, is teaching the art of juggling balls. He says, “Watching people struggle to achieve perfection in this art is amusing yet interesting… We need to sensitise people to respect jugglers, magicians and others. Else, very soon, we won’t have any entertainer coming to parties!”

Author tweets @maishascribbles

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