At 13 years old, i was fascinated by the huge tent, wild animals dressed in props, and an elephant being more famous than Sachin Tendulkar in cricket. Fire breathers, popcorn and clowns made me gasp and giggle.
Now, at 24,watching Sachin Tendulkar retire and some animals banned from circus, i got a chance to relive my memories.
Every year, Jumbo Circus comes to the city for Dasara. They pitch their tent behind the zoo. My family has an interesting history related to circus. Gemini circus, the big daddy of all South Indian circuses, had their tickets printed with us. In return, we got free passes and a chance to get up close and personal with the lions. I believe Jumbo circus is an offspring of Gemini.
The crowds have never gone down, although the sheer size of the circus has. The tickets are priced from 60-200. Me and my friend chose the 200 bucks, bang in the front row with the best view. And what a show it was.
Nostalgia hit me. I had sat on my father's shoulders and my mum had fed me popcorn. Those memories came flooding back. To this day, a bell announces the start of the show. The height and size of the ring has reduced, but the artistes still make a grand entrance, accompanied with live music, the musicians perched on top of the entrance.
Beautiful girls, in short, glittering clothes made their mark on the hearts and minds of the audience. From doing a wheelie on a bicycle to riding shotgun on a horse, these ladies can put your girlfriend to shame, and make WonderWoman feel like Hooters.
Some of the performances have remained the same, like the fire breathers, and the body contortionists. Judging by the age marks on their faces, even the artistes have remained the same, a sad reminder of life in a circus aka Jeena yahan marnaa yahan (Mera Naam Joker).
The jokers continued to entertain the crowds; the dwarfs, misfits of society employed from the days of Barnum and Barnum. Forced to laugh for three shows, and two months the circus stays in Mysore. Yes, the elephant playing cricket was there too, the part where i cringed and refused to take a picture. On one side, there was the Ambaari, and on the other, this regal creature reduced to playing footsie amidst a rowdy crowd. The camels were there, and the sight of the trainer holding a baton made them obey his commands, a sign of cruelty and rule through fear. The same was with the dogs and the parakeets, and the horses. A young performer dressed in purple tights fell off the horse, and walked away with her ego bruised. The horse received a prompt kick on his heels, a reason why i hate to see animals in circus.
I was pleased that the biker in his cage of death stunt still exists. The adrenaline rush you get out of it is immense. No question of life insurance for these guys. You either come out, or you're buried in the same ground where your tent was pitched. Some other stunts were there too, with new ones being how to change a curtain, dangling 20 feet in the air. I fell in love with the girl who performed this act.
The girls would have preferred studying Arts, Literature or Science, rather than swallowing kerosene, biting on to ropes, juggling a football in short skirts; but they do it. The reality of life is in your face.
So do visit the circus. And please applaud after every act, even if you feel you've seen better on Travel and Living. Without your love and appreciation, rewinding those tapes might be our only option of watching a circus.
Now, at 24,watching Sachin Tendulkar retire and some animals banned from circus, i got a chance to relive my memories.
Every year, Jumbo Circus comes to the city for Dasara. They pitch their tent behind the zoo. My family has an interesting history related to circus. Gemini circus, the big daddy of all South Indian circuses, had their tickets printed with us. In return, we got free passes and a chance to get up close and personal with the lions. I believe Jumbo circus is an offspring of Gemini.
The crowds have never gone down, although the sheer size of the circus has. The tickets are priced from 60-200. Me and my friend chose the 200 bucks, bang in the front row with the best view. And what a show it was.
Nostalgia hit me. I had sat on my father's shoulders and my mum had fed me popcorn. Those memories came flooding back. To this day, a bell announces the start of the show. The height and size of the ring has reduced, but the artistes still make a grand entrance, accompanied with live music, the musicians perched on top of the entrance.
Beautiful girls, in short, glittering clothes made their mark on the hearts and minds of the audience. From doing a wheelie on a bicycle to riding shotgun on a horse, these ladies can put your girlfriend to shame, and make WonderWoman feel like Hooters.
Some of the performances have remained the same, like the fire breathers, and the body contortionists. Judging by the age marks on their faces, even the artistes have remained the same, a sad reminder of life in a circus aka Jeena yahan marnaa yahan (Mera Naam Joker).
The jokers continued to entertain the crowds; the dwarfs, misfits of society employed from the days of Barnum and Barnum. Forced to laugh for three shows, and two months the circus stays in Mysore. Yes, the elephant playing cricket was there too, the part where i cringed and refused to take a picture. On one side, there was the Ambaari, and on the other, this regal creature reduced to playing footsie amidst a rowdy crowd. The camels were there, and the sight of the trainer holding a baton made them obey his commands, a sign of cruelty and rule through fear. The same was with the dogs and the parakeets, and the horses. A young performer dressed in purple tights fell off the horse, and walked away with her ego bruised. The horse received a prompt kick on his heels, a reason why i hate to see animals in circus.
I was pleased that the biker in his cage of death stunt still exists. The adrenaline rush you get out of it is immense. No question of life insurance for these guys. You either come out, or you're buried in the same ground where your tent was pitched. Some other stunts were there too, with new ones being how to change a curtain, dangling 20 feet in the air. I fell in love with the girl who performed this act.
The trapeze artists, as usual, left you gasping for air with their moves. One more reason was the lack of ventilation inside the tent. But, it was a good show indeed.
The live music is those of old songs, which remind you of the time when circus was the flat screen and HD of yore, artists were our heroes and their acts, as close to Gods power. The Mysore audience, used to the laser show at Bannimantap, refused to applaud and walked out before the act was completed, though many had strolled in late. It is easy to please the Roman Legion, the American President and the Russian Premier, but not the Mysore crowd.
When you go to the circus, and please do, take the 200 bucks ticket, if possible; the money ensures that you have an excellent view and they get to feed their children, the animals and themselves. You are cribbing about the space you have to share with your sibling, take a look at the the artists's tents....privacy is a luxury.The girls would have preferred studying Arts, Literature or Science, rather than swallowing kerosene, biting on to ropes, juggling a football in short skirts; but they do it. The reality of life is in your face.
So do visit the circus. And please applaud after every act, even if you feel you've seen better on Travel and Living. Without your love and appreciation, rewinding those tapes might be our only option of watching a circus.
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