The fading world of the circus has inspired one of the popular Durga Pujas of Calcutta this year.

The immortal words of the Raj Kapoor-starrer Mera Naam Joker — Jeena yahan marna yahan, Iske siva jaana kahan — greet visitors at the entrance of the pandal at Barisha Club in Behala’s Sakherbazar area.

The pandal’s entrance resembles a circus tent featuring images of gymnasts, rope walkers and clowns. The bumper of a truck, mounted on a steel scaffolding, stands at the entry. It represents a circus party, wrapping up its tent and everything else, about to leave.

Empty chairs at the pandal mirror the dwindling popularity of the circus.

The theme is Shunyo Prithibi (Empty World). The pandal features circus-themed designs and live clown performances, which serve as a homage to the once-thriving legacy of Bengal’s circus artists.

“Ever since the ban on live animals’ performances, the circus has struggled. Numerous camps have shut down, resulting in job losses. Many have switched professions. But the dwarf clowns have faced an uphill task. Apart from private gigs, which are limited, they have a few opportunities available. They were in the business of laughter, but their lives are full of gloom,” said Manash Das, the artist who has designed the pandal.

One such group of clowns has set up camp at the Barisha Club. Their performance at the pandal is already viral on social media.

Portraits of Priyanath Bose and Suresh Biswas, regarded as trailblazers of the circus, embellish the interior walls. The pandal is crafted to resemble a circus playroom. The idol, fashioned by Saikat Basu, embodies a playful mother with her children, serving as a symbolic depiction of a return to innocence and the rediscovery of joys that have been overlooked in connection with the circus.

“The pandal has been drawing a huge crowd every day. Many, especially children, have made repeat visits to the pandal,” said Debaprosad Bose, a founder-member of the club and one of the organisers.

On September 9, Metro reported that the circus is scheduled to return to Park Circus Maidan this winter after a ten-year hiatus, following the KMC’s approval of its comeback, following the police’s removal of their previous objections.