UN diplomat's son spreads happiness on Kashi riverfront

Varanasi, Dec 22 (UNI) At the first meeting he may appear to be a quintessential circus joker.

The young foreigner presently hogging spotlight for doing funny things on the Ganga ghats here is interestingly the son of a UN diplomat working on a mission to lower pollution levels in Europe.

''My father is a UN diplomat with English origins working on a mission to lower levels of environmental pollution in Europe, but his philosphy student son is working on another larger mission of spreading hapinnes in the world presently plagued by manifold conflicts,'' Christopher Keith Boll, the 29-year-old trained circus joker told UNI.

Wearing colourful Western outfits commplemented by a red neck-tie and a perfect British hat, the lanky foreigner who holds a graduate degree in Philosphy, besides being trained in the art of circus joker in Spain last night made the people on the Rajendra Prasad Ghat plunge into the boundless pool of laughter.

''I am not doing it for money, but for spreading happiness on the faces of people in Varanasi especially the underprivillaged lot searching for shelter in this biting cold on the Ganga ghats,'' maintained Christopher who has made people happy with his art in 20 countries across the globe.

''I practice this art of circus joker for money in rich countries of Europe and America, but in relatively poor India, I am doing it for spreading free happiness among commoners,'' he said making people laugh to his jocular feat on a mono-cycle.

It was not only local residents, but also other Western tourists who made the most of the opportunity by photos of photos of Christopher who has been employed by Greek government to juggle fire at carnivals.

''My next destination will be Africa, Japan and may be even Pakistan, if the terrorist let me do my jocular job,'' laughed off Christopher who likes to be called a world citizen.

The lanky joker, however, could not hide the pain behind his performances in Varanasi. ''Sometimes my free services become an object of poking fun for the public on the Ganga ghats and market place here. I am saddened by this.'' But what makes the philosphy graduate from Petersborough (England) leave philosophy for doing crazy and funny acts. ''May be I have it in my genes,'' is the reply of the 29-year-old whose elder sister is a genetic scientist, while younger one is an artist.

The colourful joker working in Greece, during his stay here saw many Hindi films of which 'Dhoom 2' impressed him most.

May be if I get a chance in Hindi film I can dance out the Bollywood beauties,'' Christopher said.

UNI ARS NAB PA VD1349