All the glitter, the paint, the razzle-dazzle and glamour cannot hide the misery and resignation in the eyes of the animals in a circus. In India, circuses have, for long, exploited animals for entertainment. However, people in the West are fast realising that animals are not absolutely essential for a circus to be successful.

“Though there is much more to a circus than performances by lions, tigers and elephants, it is an irony that animals are its main attraction. However, a lot of people are against the use of animals in a circus,” says wildlife activist Bibhab Talukdar.

Recently, the Assam forest department rescued several banned animals — eight lions, a Royal Bengal Tiger, three elephants, two Australian cockatoos and five Latin American macaques — from the Kohinoor Circus in Guwahati and rehabilitated them in the state zoo. In another incident, the department seized some animals from the Moonlight Circus in Nagaon under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1997. The forest department acted on the Supreme Court ban on circus performances by five kinds of wild animals — bears, monkeys, tigers, leopards and lions.

Dharmeswar Das, dean of the faculty of veterinary sciences, Assam Agriculture University, says, “Wild animals, specially endangered species, should not be used in circuses. But certain domestic animals can be trained though in a humane manner. Animals like the mule and the donkey are trained by the police and military for law and order activities.”

Das says the public would gradually get accustomed to the concept of an all-human circus and the charm of watching wild animals perform would fade away with time.

The Roman Empire introduced the concept of including animal performances in circuses. The oldest circus in Rome, Circus Maximus, was built 2,600 years ago. Though Philip Astley is regarded as the father of modern circus, there was no performance by exotic and wild animals in the circus arena till 14 years after his death. In 1820, the “jungle acts” were introduced and gradually the circus evolved to its present state.

For a long time, there was no circus in India and occasionally companies from Europe visited and performed in Mumbai and Calcutta for a few months. Vishnupath Vinayak Chatre, a Marathi, was the first Indian to set up a circus in 1881.

Indian circuses have been in existence for over 109 years now. A group of circus owners formed the Indian Circus Federation (ICF) to safeguard the “the art of circuses” and to promote it in India and abroad. According to the ICF, there are over 110 circuses in the country while only 27 big circuses are members of the ICF.

“The circus companies blatantly flout all wildlife Acts even though an ‘all-human circus’ is a good alternative. This would prevent exploitation of endangered species and also help keep alive the circus tradition,” says Talukdar.

But circus promoters feel that an all-human circus will not thrive in a country like India. “Animals are the biggest crowd-pullers and generate a lot of revenue. The sweeping ban on animals will destroy an industry that employs nearly 20,000 people,” says H.T. Singh, representative of the ICF.

“The formula of circus — flying trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, skating, fire dance, animal performances and motor tricks — is the same all over the world. But in the West, there are professional schools to train aspiring individuals. In India, training is imparted in the circus itself. And it is the poorest of the poor who opt for a livelihood in a circus, though a few people do join out of their own interest,” said Singh.

The circus industry in India employs more than 35,000 people. While circuses mostly tour rural areas, cities also host them.

Singh adds, “Artistes work long hours, practice dangerous acts and only the best and those who manage to survive continue as performers. Therefore, they should not be expected to deliver world class performances like the Russian or Western artistes.”

Despite claims by circus animal trainers that these animals are trained without using cruel methods, wildlife activists are not convinced. S. Doley, chief conservator of forests (wildlife), says, “We take action whenever we receive information that there are banned animals in a circus. We have to maintain strict vigil and take action whenever necessary. But the issue of cruelty to animals is looked after by the police department.”

Rescue centres have been set up to provide food and night shelter to circus animals at the Indira Gandhi Zoo, Vishakapatnam, Sri Venkateswara Zoo, Tirupathi, Bannerghata Zoo in Karnataka, Arignar Ann Zoo, Vandalur in Tamil Nadu, Nahargarh Biological Park in Jaipur, Nandankanan Biological Park, Bhubaneswar and the Ahmedabad Zoo in Gujarat.

Azam Siddiqui, member of People for Animals, Guwahati, says, “A circus is one of the most cruel things that can happen to an animal. There are other things to a circus than animals, so if the latter are removed it will be possible for the circus to survive. Moreover, only a handful of people is involved with the animals like the ringmaster and a few keepers. They can always find other means of livelihood.”

Circuses claim that they educate the public, especially children, on the behavioural pattern of animals. K. Chanda, principal, South Point School, Guwahati, points out, “A child enjoys watching an animal frolicking around and thereby indirectly develops a conservationist attitude. But the circuses should maintain the proper conditions for these animals. I don’t think banning animals from circuses altogether makes any sense.”

However, a keen circus-goer, 10-year-old Ananya Barua, says, “The antics of the clown are my all-time favourite in a circus. The other tricks like flying trapeze and acrobatics are also entertaining. I don’t think I will miss animals in a circus.”

Rajan Singh, a performing artiste, says: “Circus companies are trying to introduce new acts to make them exciting even without animals. Pop songs are being adapted into circus dances to make them modern. Now the money that was spent on the maintenance of the animals can be used to hone the skills of the artistes.”

Changing trends in the entertainment industry have also affected the business. “The future of the circus depends on whether the people can accept the circus without animals and appreciate the work of the artistes alone. Otherwise, circuses will soon become a thing of the past,” rues Singh.