Yes, I still love going to the circus!

You will fall in love with the women at the circus. They refute all artificial boundaries imposed on women's rights.

The memories of visiting a circus as a child have been my fondest to date. Only my mom, dad and I used to go, because my older siblings (three of them) thought it was a waste of time. Dad used to say the circus was reality TV of its day. Some of its features could be unsavoury, pandering to base urges and ignoble impulses.

For a commoner, a circus show at one time was more eagerly awaited than a national holiday.

Along with being the most-anticipated form of entertainment, the circus was also viewed with some trepidation. Fires had broken out in many circus tents and the animals escaped creating havoc. Pickpockets abounded and circus workers occasionally lost their lives while putting on a show. It was not unusual for a small community to lose a couple of its youngsters to the travelling extravaganza that pulled from out of town.

The spring festivity, rich bright colours and loud music at the Lucky Irani Circus was not any less than how my imagination pictured Disney Land.

People travelled by a wagon from the suburbs of Islamabad (the capital, where entertainment and fun has been driven away due to security measures) to get a glimpse of the artists, to laugh at the clowns and marvel at the ferocious animals that yielded to a daring trainer’s will.



I got my chance at the age of 28 to visit a circus again! Men and women of this age usually arrange lavish dinners at exquisite restaurants and plan trips to Hawaii.

My destination was Alipur, a place 130 km ahead of Muzafargarh, Punjab and I couldn't have been more excited!



All my childhood memories came alive as I entered the circus.

The thrill I sensed in the excited volumes of the crowd took my breath away. The smells and the hurly burly of the crowd were truly unforgettable. I was hoping to see these performers getting ready in their caravans, similar to what we see in the movies but reality had to unveil itself now.

It opened with the ring master. Every guy in the audience seemed to envy the ringmaster. He was masculine, intelligent, confident, well dressed, and had a booming voice. He introduced all the acts, beginning with a pony show succeeding the clowns splashing around, the aerialists, one wheel cyclists and tight rope walkers.

In spite of this impressive performance, you end up falling in love with the women in these acts.

These women have the knack of catching the audience’s eye, leaving them with the feeling that they have just been trained for this particular evening. They are skilful and confident.



The way the circus visually represented women did perhaps solidify the sense that times have changed and women are no longer seen as mere sex objects. The female performers were courageous and strong. They were swinging in the air, showing incredible strength, agility and independence.

Although, the women who performed in the ring were well-trained, they were not adequately facilitated with safety nets or ropes. This did scare me, and I cringed more than once in fear since them perform daring stunts!

The knife throwers, however, were extremely daunting. They stood there in front of a wooden plank blind folded, throwing sharp edged knives with such firmness and surety, it appeared as though they were immortal.

Shaheen, an aerialist said,

“That is the very struggle and achievement in our profession. Fame, respectability and decent income that come from performing in the circus are of a valuable experience to us”

Starting at the bottom of the labour hierarchy, Mitho, a mother of four, worked her way up to becoming a one wheel cyclist. She eventually became the queen of this act - her trademark.

The owner, Mian Rashid Farzand, is the leading legacy of his father who ran this circus. His father left the profit margin in millions. His son being his heir, believed that this could only have been possible if the labour was given its dues on time, provided with security, maternal leave, job retention and competitive pay.

This trip was an eye opener for me and the few others from the media who accompanied me. They also thought that women performers in the circus refute the artificial boundaries that are imposed on women's bodies and on women’s rights. By presenting strong and positive images of women’s physicality, we can reclaim the skewed image presented in adverts and media of what is considered ‘feminine’ and ‘female’.

Did my thoughts reshape after this visit?

For me, the circus continues to be a magical place which is like a house of mirrors, constantly reflecting the values, fears and issues of society at large.

That was quite a show. I must repeat, quite a show.

PHOTOS: RABIA RAZZAQUE

Read more by Rabia here.