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Circus Flyer


Karlekar Grand Circus, 1929


A Soviet Circus in Delhi, 1986
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  1. GeetaliOct 4, 2009, 5:59:00 PM

    Reading your blog always succeeds in taking me back in time! Was in Delhi in time to see the Russian Circus perform - this was at the Indraprastha Indoor Stadium and was fabulously sophisticated by Indian standards. Needless to add, it was completely sold out and a huge success.

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  2. Vinayak RazdanOct 4, 2009, 9:02:00 PM

    Thanks for sharing that! Must have been a great experience. I haven't ever been to a Circus, it was already in decline by the time I was growing up...I don't even remember talking to someone who has been to a Circus.

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  3. GeetaliOct 4, 2009, 10:45:00 PM

    Seriously? You've never *ever* seen a circus? Wow! My folks took me to see them a lot! Great Bombay Circus, Gemini Circus, Jumbo Circus. The shows were very poorly produced, the animals severely under-nourished, almost mangy, the costumes tacky, but by gum, we enjoyed them like anything!
    Even as a child one sensed a certain pathos in these people's situation. There was a grim desperation to their performances. The air of failure was very palpable. Did not always return happy after seeing a show...

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  4. Vinayak RazdanOct 5, 2009, 12:34:00 AM

    Aha! You forget I am a Kashmiri Pandit who grew up in Jammu. I spend my days following the Circus called Kashmir Problem. Lot of pathos there too :)
    Circus meant a Shahrukh Khan serial, a Raj Kapoor film, Russian extras in a sorry Mithun affair called 'Shikari' and infectious 'Lucky Irani Circus' ads on PTV.
    Did Kashmir have Circus and all? I do have faint memories of people talking about 'Maut Ka Kua' at Exhibition Ground of Srinagar. An Uncle took me to this Exhibition one night, but all I remember seeing that night is silkworm cocoons getting boiled. It was all quite educational.

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