Indian Circus Industry Staring At Bleak Future In The Shadow Of Pandemic
Witticisms, balancing games, jumps on the trampoline, somersaults, stunts, bicycle rides and much more. All this makes for a typical scene at a circus but now, its existence is about to be erased.
The world of circus had already been decimated due to changes in laws and all kinds of restrictions. But the two-month-long lockdown has hit some circus companies so hard that atleast four of them have had to shut down.
The Great Bombay Circus, India’s oldest circus company, had been established in 1920 but exactly 100 years later, its existence is imperilled. Its team has been stranded in Tamil Nadu ever since the announcement of the lockdown and this circus company with 180 performers is now on the verge of being closed. Sujit Dilip, owner of The Rambo Circus, says that with the circus being closed, it has become difficult to manage expenses for animals and performers. If Sujit is to be believed, circus is thriving in European countries but it is tough to keep this tradition alive in India. The heaviest blow to circus companies was dealt in 2001, when the Supreme Court banned the use of wild animals for exhibition purposes. Apart from this, given the Child Labour Amendment Act, child artistes also distanced themselves from circuses. Wild animals and child performers used to be major attractions at circuses but circus companies began shutting shop after restrictions were imposed on them. According to one estimate, there are barely one dozen circus companies remaining in India at present and they have appealed to the government for help in keeping this tradition alive. Watch the video story here:
The Great Bombay Circus, India’s oldest circus company, had been established in 1920 but exactly 100 years later, its existence is imperilled. Its team has been stranded in Tamil Nadu ever since the announcement of the lockdown and this circus company with 180 performers is now on the verge of being closed. Sujit Dilip, owner of The Rambo Circus, says that with the circus being closed, it has become difficult to manage expenses for animals and performers. If Sujit is to be believed, circus is thriving in European countries but it is tough to keep this tradition alive in India. The heaviest blow to circus companies was dealt in 2001, when the Supreme Court banned the use of wild animals for exhibition purposes. Apart from this, given the Child Labour Amendment Act, child artistes also distanced themselves from circuses. Wild animals and child performers used to be major attractions at circuses but circus companies began shutting shop after restrictions were imposed on them. According to one estimate, there are barely one dozen circus companies remaining in India at present and they have appealed to the government for help in keeping this tradition alive. Watch the video story here:
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