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Young World
Walking the tight rope
RANJAN K. SHETTAR
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Flying trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, skating, fire dancing... all under the Big Top. Have you seen the exciting performances at the circus?
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Seeing the world differently...
As a child I loved to go to the circus. So much glitter! Girls dressed in shiny clothes and with long silky hair. We admired them and secretly wished to perform like them. But behind all the glitter is hard work all the year round.
Life in the circus is very disciplined. Exercise and practice begin early in the morning. Depending on the season, artists perform twice or thrice a day. They stay in a place for a month or two. As they spend so much time together they are almost like one family.
Juggling for a livelihood...
The circus, as a profession is popular in Kerala because of the circus school in Thalassery. Hettoda in Nepal also has a large number of "circus families". A girl from the Raj Kamal Circus says, "I joined the circus because my sister was there and she said it is very nice. I also think circus life is good." Professionals earn anything between Rs. 1000 and Rs. 8000 per month (besides medical, clothing, travelling and food expenses) depending on the nature of work and the number of items they perform. Till recently the Indian circus enjoyed a golden period.
It takes about two months to appear for a performance after joining the circus. Special items like flying trapeze and cycling can take longer — like two to four years. The mind and the body have to work together while performing and it is a challenge coordinating with team members at every step. Moreover, one has to be alert, fit, and at one's best all the time.
...And a carriage to ride.
The formula of circus — flying trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, skating, fire dance, animal performances, motor tricks — are similar the world over. But in the West, there are professional schools to train aspiring individuals. In India, training is more within the circus company.
Most circuses worldwide perform in large tents except for a few which perform indoors. In every company the layout is planned in advance. Tents, fence, ramps are erected in the same fashion in every place. The team hardly wastes any time between two camps at different places. They take only two to three days to settle down in the new camp and start performing. The circus industry in India has provided employment to more than 35,000 people. There are about a 100 small and big circuses. Some of them tour only in the rural areas, while the others tour the cities.
A balancing act...
Though there is much more to a circus than the performance by the lions, tigers and elephants, it is an irony that animals are the main attraction. The Central Government's ban on the show of a few animals (lion, tiger, panther, monkey and bear) has resulted in a sharp fall in the number of people visiting the circus.
Because people are used to seeing a circus with animals, it has become difficult to accept it without them. Circus companies are trying to introduce new acts and make it more exciting even without animals. Many pop songs are also being adapted into circus dances to create a contemporary atmosphere. Changing trends in the entertainment industry have also affected the business. The future of the circus depends on whether people can accept the circus without animals and appreciate the work of circus artists alone.
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