indian circuse

The horn loudspeakers fixed on bamboo poles come to life, with the music from Saaz Aur Awaaz cutting through the silence. The flags flutter in the monsoon breeze as I pay Rs. 100 for a ticket and enter the Asiad Circus, in Delhi for the summer. Inside, hundreds of red plastic chairs are placed around the performing arena.

Asiad, which is one of the few surviving circuses in India, has been around for 25 years, travelling around the country and staying in different cities for a month at a time. Though once Eastern European artists used to join Indian ones, nowadays foreign artists are more likely to come from African countries. Anil Kumar, the “Boss” who has managed the circus for over 10 years runs two shows a day and three on the weekends.

But beyond the big top are the colourful tents of the artists who bring the show to life. These tents are pitched according to an artist’s marital status, and each contains a different world. Bachelors live on the edges while married artists live in the center. There is a separate tent for the artists from outside India, who come on a yearly contract. Most find it difficult to stay during the summers. We peeked into these tents to find out what goes on behind the scenes.