Dwarf artistes tie the knot

MANGALORE: Sanjay (29) and Priya (19) introduced themselves as newly married couple at Patrika Bhavan here on Thursday. What is so special about them is that they are both ‘dwarfs’ working in Jumbo Circus Company.Sanjay, a joker working in the South Indian unit of Jumbo Circus Company, married Priya, who was working in the North Indian unit of the company in Gurgaon. Their marriage took place in Pathanamthitta in Kerala three months ago, much to the delight of other artistes in the circus. After marriage, Priya joined her husband’s unit.And theirs is a love story. Sanjay said he saw Priya’s photo three years ago, and got her mobile number through a colleague. “I used to call her everyday, and proposed to her one day,” Sanjay added.Initially, Priya was not ready to marry him. However, Sanjay requested the owner of the South Indian unit to get Priya there. Then everything went off well for the couple. “Our boss arranged the marriage at Pathanamthitta, a day after Priya’s arrival from Gurgaon,” he added gleefully.Sanjay, a school dropout, hails from Gaya district in Bihar. Priya, who hails from Maharashtra and has been working in the circus company since she was 10, said she was encouraged by her colleagues to welcome this new life. Working as a jumping and parade walking artiste in the company, Priya said the circus company was her home and the artistes were her family members, as she had never seen her parents.“I received Sanjay’s calls every day in the last three years when I was in Gurgaon,” she said.Rehema and Selemani, African artistes in the circus, said they wanted to host a dinner party for the couple. Company’s media relations officer Shrihari Nair said it was important to inform the public that dwarf artistes also could lead a normal life like others, as “they are not only limited to entertain people”. The company will start its show in Mangalore on April 29.