Life of a stilt walker

A young boy from the walled city of Lahore, Hassan was barely 15-years old when he decided to join the illustrious Lucky Irani Circus. At the time, it was the most famous show of its kind in the country and welcomed thousands of guests at each venue. All kinds of artists and stunt-oriented performers from near and far would come to join the troupe; each more fascinating than the other. In the bizarre presence of his fellow show-people, the youth soon learned many tricks of the trade. He could jump through hoops of fire, walk on a tightrope and much to the delight of his audience, don a clown costume and walk on wooden stilts five feet above ground.

“It was a decent living while it lasted. Performers were well taken care of in the circus’ heydays. But once the government started imposing heavy restrictions on most public fairs amid political unrest, we had no option but to look elsewhere for employment opportunities,” said Hassan.

In 2011, following the decline of the country’s once popular circus scene, Hassan took a meagerly paid employment at the Lahore Zoo. On most days, he works a security guard stationed on the park’s entrance, but on special occasions he dons his old costume, douses his face in paint and waltz to the crowd in stilts the size of his frame.

“I entertain the visitors and do a little bit of publicity for the park every so often, for a little extra cash. Sometimes visitors even tip me with Rs 10 to Rs 20 or invite me to perform at their children’s birthday,” said the stilt walker. “It brings me great joy to be able to make people laugh, but unlike the circus, people here tend to get quite bitter with their remarks sometimes,” he added.

Hassan, who measures a little over five feet without the pegs under his feet, is a favorite among the zoos’ youngest visitors. With his stilts on, he grows to ten feet. Although it is not as tall as some of the other stilt walkers, but it is a height Hassan believes his fans are most comfortable with. “I have tried walking on taller stilts but it’s quite dangerous, especially when dealing with kids. They tend to get scared of taller stilt walkers and it becomes increasingly difficult to carry them or hold their hands for photographs, as guests often request.”

Where Hassan brings smiles to the faces of many with his painted face and comedic antics, this is a part of his life which he has kept hidden from his own blood for several years. The performer, who is married and has a child said that he has not been able to find the courage to tell his daughter about his profession.

“She was barely two years old when I first held her in my arms as a stilt walker while performing at the Safari Park. We have a photograph too, but I don’t think knows it’s me. Even if she comes to the zoo someday, I doubt she’d ever be able to recognise me under all this makeup and costume. I don’t recognise myself sometimes,” the tall clown expressed.

*Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals mentioned in the story

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2020.