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“We are entertainers. Unlike others who are engaged in their own business at permanent places, our community is travelling all over the country, entertaining people by performing acrobats. Our job is entertaining people. We also act as clowns too. Our performers consist not only humans, but also animals and birds.” These are remarks made by Niroshan Udaya Kumara, the owner of Sri Lanka’s oldest circus performance group “Pasipiya”. According to Niroshan, there are other circus groups in the country, but “Pasipiya” is the oldest and it has also become a household name among young and old Sri Lankans. When Sunday Observer visited Arawwala in Maharagama to meet the members of “Pasipiya” circus group, they welcomed the opportunity to talk about their industry. The owner of “Pasipiya” and 30 year old father , Niroshan said he and his wife are also performing at circus shows. Niroshan has learned the art of acrobatics from his father, K.G. Nimal. Niroshan said he had his education at Galmuruwa Herath Gunaratna MMV in Chilaw and ended his studies after doing the GCE (OL) Examination. He thereafter received training under his father and later started his own industry in 2001. “Currently 15 males and three females are performing in my group. So far, I have conducted a number of circus shows in many parts of the country including Galle, Matara, Kamburupitiya, Akuressa, Hakmana, Walasmulla, Kirinda, Tangalle, Weeraketiya, Ratnapura, Embilipitiya, Godagama, Athurugiriya, Malabe and Kottawa,” Niroshan said his next objective is to perform in Jaffna and in the Eastern Province. “I am very proud to say that my father K.G. Nimal had performed at circus shows in Jaffna in the 1970s and according to him, a huge response had been received by these shows from the Jaffna public”. He said, since a peaceful atmosphere was prevailing in the North after three decades, he has plans to take a circus group to Jaffna from the South. “But, this cannot be easily done without the assistance of the Government and I wish a Government Minister will help us to fulfil this dream. So that, I could be the first person who takes a circus group to Jaffna after 30 years,”. Niroshan also said in addition, they would like to perform in foreign countries and urged the authorities at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to lend an ear to his humble request. He said the “Pasipiya” circus industry has a long history coming from over three generations.
His grandfather K.G. Sugathadasa had started the industry following another reputed circus performer, Simon Dodangoda in 1956. He said at present there are about ten circus groups in the country and his father who is 54 years was also still performing at circus shows. Niroshan also said his group conducts shows for about three weeks at a place and the duration is extended only after considering the response from the public in the respective areas. Some of the risky events they perform in circus shows are balancing the pole, Juggling (throwing many balls by a single person), single topics (hanging on a rope), cycling with a single wheel, wire balancing (walking on a single wire), bench balancing, chair balancing, riding a two-cycle on a wire, standing on chairs and playing, sando play and flying topics (changing from one swing to another). He said in addition a few animals such as dogs, a porcupine and a parrot is also performing at circus shows. He said he would train a goat also to perform in future shows. We would appreciate help from the officials of Divisional Secretaries and Pradeshiya Sabhas of villages, by way of providing us State lands to perform. “We have to pay colossal sums of money for individuals when using their private lands and this could be stopped if we are given State lands at reasonable rates to perform at our shows”, he said. He also requested the Local Government authorities to reduce the 10 to 25 per cent Entertainment Tax, currently charged from them after considering their daily income and other expenses. “In addition to the main Pasipiya circus group, a few other groups are also performing circus shows at various villages under the same name. A circus owner, Gamunu Punchihewa of Kaluaggala in Hanwella said, unlike earlier, it is rather difficult to conduct circus shows for more than two weeks in the same place, since during week days and on rainy days the daily expenses are dropping sharply due to the arrival of fewer people. He therefore urged Local Government authorities to refrain from charging entertainment tax from circus owners. There are many under aged children in some families who like to receive training and perform in circus shows , but due to some restrictions, imposed by the National Child Protection Authority no children under 16 years are permitted to perform in circus shows. He therefore appealed to NCPA authorities to consider this situation and allow even small children to perform in circus shows with the consent of their parents, unless the circus industry will become another dying industry in the future. A resident of Hakmana and a performer in a circus group, 59 year old B. Sumandasa said he has been entertaining people for the past 26 years and saved nothing for his children or even to construct a house. “Circus is an industry where it is hardly possible to save money for the well-being of an artiste’s future, leave alone their family. One day when we get feeble and become bedridden due to risky performances being done on tyres, iron fences, coir ropes, single wheel cycles and on chairs, there will be no one to look after us”. He therefore requested authorities in the Cultural Affairs Ministry to register all circus performers and grant them a monthly pension for the service they rendered. He said if this proposal is forwarded to President Mahinda Rajapaksa something would definitely be done since he believed the President too has similar sensitivities towards performing artistes as former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. He recalled an incident at Galgamuwa where, while they were presenting a circus show, President Premadasa came to see them perform. Before leaving the premises, the visibly pleased President promised the owner of our circus group that he would discuss with the relevant Minister to implement a pension scheme to us. But unfortunately he died after two months. The performing artistes will certainly be ever grateful for a positive gesture towards their livelihood, he said. |
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