Death of the Circus

The Gemini Circus was one of the most fabled of the Big Tent Businesses in India.

It was magnificent.

There were Lions and Tigers,

a panther or two, Zebras,

and Arabian horses,

and elephants

and a hippoand birds and dogs,

and monkeys, and bears

and performing SEALS

and the most amazing acts ever.
The animals were the stars of the show.

Oh, the thrill of watching the lady put her head into the lion’s mouth!!

Then Animal Rights struck.

Menaka Gandhi and her vegan brigade came to power as a tiny part of a coalition.
And naturally, she became the environment minister.
In the few months she was in power, she began murdering livelihoods.
Nobody protested because the people she targeted were politically weak and marginalised.
The snake-charmers.

The roadside monkey and bear acts.
And , then, of course, the circus.

Today the Gemini Circus is in town.

Hardly anyone goes.
Why? Because the only curiosity is a couple of scantily clad Russian ladies
Doing juggling and bicycle acts.

A couple of elephants are on show.

One plays ‘cricket’ and then there is the famous Doctor and nurse Gemini act that has somehow survived.

One and a half hours of ordinary juggling, the roadside chaps do a more exciting job.
Trapeze and Trampoline turns.
The motorcycles in the orb of death.
The kids yawn and say television is more exciting.

The ring master cracks his whip, at what?
Dogs, and a camel -- for pete’s sake!

The clowns are old and tired.
The artistes look, desperate.
The applause is very lukewarm.
And every night, the Big top goes half empty.


Where are the lions?
The Circus is dying.
Soon, the clowns may just quit as well.