“It was when I wanted a change from my routine life…. When I was searching for something that I had lost… The smile on my face that was gone…. Gone for so long that I had actually forgotten about it! Was in a stage where I was in bad need of it… that is when I heard about this beautiful initiative that actually changed my views…”
“Compassionate Clowns” it was. Someone who often does something funny to make people laugh… showing their concern towards someone sick, hurt or poor! That feeling of wanting to help someone! Yes! These two amazing words were put together to form an organization with an aim of spreading LOVE! Awareness through a new methodology in curing someone sick or hurt (be it physical or mental) in the form of love! You heard me right! LOVE it is. MEDICAL CLOWNING.
Just 3 sessions with them, changed my complete life! You might have seen pictures across social media where people paint their face and visit hospitals…. So are these people some kind of visiting – doctors? Yes! But not qualified ones… They are definitely the ones who work with the Nature’s concept of cure. To give an example, have you watched Munnabhai, MBBS? Do you remember that Old man who used to love playing carom? Yes that doctor’s dad! Also remember he was admitted to hospital? Where the so called Doctor Munnabhai cures him? Not as a doctor but as a HUMAN! In those similar lines are the compassionate clowns! All the Clowns (that’s what we call ourselves) are Munnabhai’s helping those children… in getting a faster and a quicker treatment.
“We” paint our faces! We visit the wards in the hospital, spend time with those kids – play with them, sing with them, dance with them, act with them and what not do we do? We do every possible thing to make those kids smile (amidst of all the pain that they are going through). We tend to get the KID out in us to make those kids smile!
Yes! SMILE, SMILE, SMILE is we think of! As we believe that SMILE is the best form of cure for any ailment. This smile has cured diseases like that of cancer and we have many examples of it! I remember my first clowning session at Indira Gandhi institute of Child Health Hospital…. I met this small girl, aged about 6 years called Blessy…. One of the most energetic girl who sang along with us, danced with us and for a matter of fact she was under treatment for more than 2 weeks as of then. One week down the line, the next clowning session doctors told us that she was getting discharged in a couple of days and it was quicker than we expected! Guess what she told us? “Your smile has helped me get home faster!” I just regained that smile I had lost… while trying to make her smile… she helped me regain mine! That is the POWER of SMILE! And that is what Compassionate Clowns believe in!
The founder of CC – Harish Bhuvan just said this in one of the Reflection session “You give something to Universe and Universe will give it to you in return” this has stuck in my head and will remain forever. Universe is the baap of everything… Give away positive vibes to it and get the same in return… the entire cycle of life runs through this concept. And this is the key to happiness.
A little brief about compassionate clowns…. We clown 4 days a week. Tuesday at Narayan Hrudayalaya Hospital, Thursday at Indira Gandhi institute of Child Health Hospital, Saturday at St. Johns Hospital and Sunday at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology. Each Clowning session starts with a prayer, clowning and reflection where everyone reflect their learnings.
Every Clowning session is different experience, every minute spent here is a learning and every person we meet here is our FAMILY! As Abraham Lincoln said “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years” Be a part of this great initiative! Let us spread the word of happiness and love! Let us bring in the change and make a change.
To know more about us: www.facebook.com/Compassionateclown www.compassionateclowns.org
With Lots of Love, Yours, Ganesh Datta Lakkur
#SpreadKnowledge #SpreadEducation and #SpreadLove Campaign. Follow me to support this initiative.
Original article published on 8th December 2017.
Comments