Circus in Bengaluru

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.”