Originally from Bihar, he had joined the company after sixth grade, awe-struck by the circus. It’s been over five years since he went home; the circus is today his second family.
The ‘Great Bombay Circus’ is one of the oldest circus companies in the country, having started in 1920. It has managed to survive, performing shows across the country and sometimes even outside. The industry says it is in a bad shape and needs support from the government to survive
74-year-old Tulsidas Chowdary has been a part of the Great Bombay Circus for 61 years. Tulsidas says the best part of his job as a clown is “making people laugh and forget about their worries for that moment”.
There are even artistes from Nepal and Ethiopia who have left their homes to be a part of the circus.
Artiste Chotho Chang from China has settled in India and now has an Indian name. “I became Seethu Rajesh and married someone from Kerala.” Her husband is also from the same field. “He usually takes care of our children back home,” she says.
Eleena (24) is from Nepal. “It is been 3-4 years since I joined the circus. And it the best that has happened to me.” She performs aerial rope stunts where she is suspended from the top and she does stunts tied to the cloth material.”