Indian Circus
Introduction
India has a long tradition of street performers and itinerant artists. However, the circus in the modern sense is a relatively new industry. According to Philip Astley (English circus master), the first Indian circus was born around 1880.
The Great Indian Circus — Origin of Modern Indian Circus
- Founded by: Vishnupant Chatre — an accomplished equestrian and singer
- Patronage: Raja of Kurduwadi (under whom Chatre worked as a stable master)
- First performance: March 20, 1880
- Tours: Successful across India, Ceylon, and South East Asia; failed in North America (could not match size and grandeur of competitors)
Keeleri Kunhikannan — Father of Indian Circus
- Met Chatre during his tour at Tellicherry, Malabar Coast
- Profession: Martial art and gymnastics teacher
- On Chatre's insistence, began training acrobats
- 1901: Opened a circus school at Chirakkara, near Tellicherry, Kerala → became the epicentre of the circus revolution in India
- His students started multiple circus companies:
- Pariyali Kannan (1904) → Grand Malabar Circus
- Whiteway Circus (1922)
- Great Ramayan Circus (1924)
- The Great Lion Circus, Eastern Circus, Fairy Circus, etc.
- This cluster of activity earned Kerala the title 'Cradle of Indian Circus'
- Notable alumnus: Kannan Bombayo (ropedancer, 1910) — performed for European and American circus companies
- Died: 1939; legacy continued by student M. K. Raman
- 2010: Government of Kerala opened Indian Circus Academy at Thalassery in his honour
- Conferred the epithet: 'Father of Indian Circus'
Major Indian Circus Companies
| Circus | Founded | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Three Ring Circus | 1930s | Founded by K. Damodaran as a two-pole circus; grew into the first and only six-pole three-ring circus of Asia |
| Great Royal Circus | 1909 | Started as Madhushkar's Circus; taken over by N.R. Walawalker and renamed; toured Africa, Middle East, South-East Asia |
| Great Bombay Circus | 1920 | Started by Baburao Kadam as Grand Bombay Circus; in 1947, K. M. Kunhikannan (nephew of Keeleri Kunhikannan) merged his company and renamed it; troupe of 300 performers and 60 animals |
| Gemini Circus | 1951 | Started at Bilimora, Gujarat by M. V. Shankaran (ex-army; known as Gemini Shankarettan); in , became the (shows at Moscow, Sochi, Yalta); backdrop of |
Damoo Dhotre — Notable Indian Ring Master
- Born in Pune, 1902 to a poor family
- Joined Isako's Russian Circus as a proprietor
- 1939: Moved to France with Bertram Mills Circus
- Then joined the world-famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus (USA) — show known as 'The Greatest Show on Earth'
- Served in US Army (1943–1946)
- Known as the 'Wild Animal Man'
- Granted US citizenship in 1960
- Returned to Pune after 40 years in circus; died 1973
Circus: A Marginal Industry — Decline
Scale of decline: ~300 Indian circuses in 1990 → only 30 in 2017
Reasons for Decline
| Reason | Details |
|---|---|
| Hereditary secrecy | Circus companies kept trade secret; became hereditary; prevented good managers from entering |
| Supreme Court ban on child recruitment | 2011 — SC banned hiring children below age 14; acrobatics requires intensive childhood training, limiting the talent pool |
| Government ban on wild animals | 1997 — Government of India banned use of wild animals for entertainment; a major audience draw disappeared |
| Social perception | Circus seen as a dangerous profession; families unwilling to send children; no dynasty formation unlike in the West |
| Competition from e-entertainment | Younger generation's access to world-class gymnastics and digital entertainment reduced circus audiences |
Possible Remedies
- Stricter safety regulations to improve career perception
- Circus used to promote dying arts — increases attraction
- Government protection for performers (most retire by age 40, forced into manual labour thereafter)
- Currently under Department of Sports and Youth Affairs → transferring to Ministry of Culture would better serve revival and recognise circus as an art form
- Indian Circus Academy at Thalassery (2010) was a positive step, but faces closure due to low trainees and financial constraints
Applied Anchors
- Kerala as cultural hub: Just as Kerala is the cradle of Kathakali, Mohiniattam, and Koodiyattam, it is also the 'Cradle of Indian Circus' — demonstrating how a single region can anchor multiple performing traditions simultaneously.
- Art as livelihood and identity: The circus story — from Chatre's stable-master origins to Damoo Dhotre's global career — reflects how performing arts have historically offered social mobility to people from modest backgrounds.
- Policy-art intersection: The 1997 wild animal ban and the 2011 SC ruling on child labour directly impacted a performing art industry, illustrating how legal frameworks shape cultural traditions.
- Intangible heritage at risk: Like puppetry, the circus industry represents a declining performing art that requires institutional support — making its revival a contemporary cultural heritage challenge.
- Cultural diplomacy: Gemini Circus's participation in the 1964 International Circus Festival in USSR and Damoo Dhotre's global career highlight how performing arts have served as instruments of India's soft power.
Exam Traps
- Vishnupant Chatre founded the Great Indian Circus (1880) — he was an equestrian and singer, NOT a gymnastics teacher. Keeleri Kunhikannan was the gymnastics/martial arts teacher.
- Keeleri Kunhikannan = 'Father of Indian Circus' — NOT Vishnupant Chatre. Chatre founded the first circus; Kunhikannan institutionalised the tradition.
- Circus school was at Chirakkara (near Tellicherry), opened in 1901 — not Thalassery. The Indian Circus Academy (government-run) is at Thalassery (2010). These are different institutions.
- Gemini Circus = first Indian circus at International Circus Festival in USSR (1964) — NOT the Great Bombay Circus or Jumbo Circus.
- Great Bombay Circus was originally 'Grand Bombay Circus' (founded 1920 by Baburao Kadam) — renamed in 1947 after merger with K. M. Kunhikannan's company.
- K. M. Kunhikannan (Great Bombay Circus) is the NEPHEW of Keeleri Kunhikannan — do not conflate the two.
- Damoo Dhotre served in the US Army (1943–1946) — he was granted US citizenship in 1960, NOT upon joining the army.
- Wild animal ban = 1997; Child recruitment ban = 2011 (Supreme Court) — do NOT swap these dates or authorities.
- Jumbo Circus started in Bihar (1977) — it is the largest modern Indian circus, called 'Pride of India', and was later acquired by the Shankaran family.
- Presently circuses are under the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, NOT the Ministry of Culture — the latter is proposed for better revival strategy.
Quick Revision Points
- First modern Indian circus: Great Indian Circus (March 20, 1880) by Vishnupant Chatre; patronage: Raja of Kurduwadi
- Circus school: Chirakkara, near Tellicherry, Kerala, 1901 — by Keeleri Kunhikannan
- Kerala = 'Cradle of Indian Circus'
- Kunhikannan = 'Father of Indian Circus'; died 1939
- Circus Academy: Thalassery, Kerala, 2010 (government-run)
- Grand Malabar Circus (1904) — student Pariyali Kannan
- Three Ring Circus: K. Damodaran; first and only six-pole three-ring circus of Asia
- Great Royal Circus: started 1909 as Madhushkar's Circus; renamed by N.R. Walawalker
- Great Bombay Circus: Baburao Kadam (1920); renamed 1947 after K. M. Kunhikannan merger; 300 performers, 60 animals
- Gemini Circus: 1951, Bilimora, Gujarat; M.V. Shankaran (Gemini Shankarettan); first at International Circus Festival USSR, 1964; backdrop of Mera Naam Joker
- Jumbo Circus: 1977, Bihar; 'Pride of India'; largest modern Indian circus
- Damoo Dhotre: 'Wild Animal Man'; Ringling Brothers ('Greatest Show on Earth'); US citizen 1960; died Pune 1973
- Wild animal ban: ; Child recruitment ban:
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