At Saggian, the cycle circus is performing these days. On Friday, Abrar performed. Abrar rides a cycle for 10 days and 10 nights straight and even eats on his bicycle. An expert at his craft, he performs various stunts when faced with an audience. The stunts he performs are linked to the money the audience offers him.
Offer him a ten-rupee note and he shall pick it up fro his eyelash. Offer him a twenty-rupee note and he shall bend the bicycle over and turn to pick it up. Offer him a hundred-rupee note and he shall perform a daring stunt where he must maintain his balance on resting bicycle as two motorcycles combine their torque and attempt to offset his balance.
If his foot touches the ground he looses the challenge. After the last stunt, once he has won he takes four rounds of the audience, relishes in their applause and collects money from them. The entire circus troupe consists of eight performers. They travel across Lahore during the year and perform wherever they find open public spaces. The locations on their schedule include Band Road, Babu Sabu, Shahdara, Sabzazaar and Allama Iqbal Town.
The troupe are able to take in about Rs 8-9000 per month from bringing joy to Lahore’s slum dwellers.
Photographers are requested to send samples to hashim.rashid@pakistantoday.com.pk
Cycle Circus
