French Clowns Bring Fun And Laughter To Rajasthan

Laughter rings off the walls of a small rural house courtyard in northwestern Rajasthan and smiles grace the faces of villagers as a group of French clowns try to cheer them up. The troop of seven s together with a handful of their Indian counterparts are staging performances in the village.

The troop with colourful hats and trademark red noses use body action and wordless expression to interact with residents of Samode village. The seven s led by Jathper Menal, a renowned French clown director, and their Indian counterparts are performing in the village as part of a bilateral cultural exchange programme.

Villagers believe this visit by es has not only helped the village economy, but also provided them with a platform to know about their culture. ditya, an Indian performer said.

This show is very interesting and for a while it helps us forget all our tensions and worries," claimed Sushila, a village woman. Lorence, a , says she has been able to discover India through her acts of clowning.