The circus troupe continues its journey with loud music filling the loudspeakers. They unsettle the spectators with the number of flags flying from the minarets of the tents. The country and the city are looking for thumps. Even when the Hooghly River was red on the streets of Kolkata during the partition of India, the people united with tolerance and love in the circus tent. While the city was reeling from robbery and murder, the people enjoyed the peace of the circus in the circus legend Gemini Shankar’s tent. Lots of stories and games. Gemini Sankaran tells the life of the circus legend who has captured the hearts of the audience for decades.
Outside the circus
Kolassery brought Puti to see the circus. It’s a small circus in one piece. Kanaran Circus and Kittunni Circus took a gap of one year. If you have one, you can sit on the floor and watch the game. There will be a chair for two. It should be remembered that one rupee was equal to 16 annas at that time. Day and night is just a game.
The petromax of the circus went towards the light with the person coming to work at home. Little did he know that Kunju Shankar had followed him. The first circus collapsed. As there was no ticket, he could not get inside. The organizers kicked it out. The desire to see the circus remained. At the end of the fight, the money to buy the ticket also went away. That’s how the thump comes again. Came to see the circus the very next day. Circus performers would sing to attract people when there was no electricity. For the first time, the metro circus of the Thalasserians was seen. The seat is on the floor. The single trapeze and the knife ended up catching their breath. Desire to learn this somehow. The incident was hotly presented to my father. That is how Shankaran, the fifth of the seven children of Thalassery Kavalassery Ramen and Moorkoth Kalyani, became a circus in the Waliyaveetil mansion.
Disciple of Keeleri
Kulapati Keeleri Kunhikannan of the circus comes to the circus as a disciple of the teacher. The desire to study circus was conveyed to Kalari of Keeleri by his father. He is a gymnastics teacher at Thalassery BEMP School. Kalari is in the paddock given by the elder of Pullampil, the main native of Thalassery. He blessed the ten-year-old boy and made him a disciple that very day. Training for six months at the house in Kirinkara. Children’s lesson in Balancing and Malaccammaryel. From Kolassery, you can walk to Keeleri’s house in Kirinkara. After a little May, he moved to Kalari. He remained there till he was 14 years old. Practiced including the horizontal bar. Ten and thirty people were part of Kalari that day. All of them later became popular stars in circuses.
The immortal merchant joins the army
Later people see Keeleri’s disciple at Anadi shop near Thalassery KR Biscuit Company. After Chetan Narayanan went to join the army, he took over the shop he was running on his father’s instructions. That’s how he left the circus and came to build things. Three years of quiet business. That’s when army recruitment comes in the Kannur defense field during the second world war. When I felt like it, I took it to Kannur. There is no running and jumping then. Direct appointment based on health only. Joined Madras Regiment as Wireless Observer. One year of training was in Madras itself. Learned shooting and more. After six months wireless observer course in Allahabad. Initially the salary is Rs.18. 15 will be sent to father. After becoming a wireless observer, the salary more than doubled.
The war between the Allies and the Axis powers was still a circus in Shankar’s mind. At that time there were not many radars to detect the course, speed, altitude etc. of fighter planes. One is in Kolkata. It is the responsibility of the wireless force to determine the course and speed of the aircraft. A wireless set was placed under the hill and observers climbed high and listened to the aircraft to transmit information. Only three or four flights come that day. It was at that time that the bomb dropped by Japan on Diamond Harbor near Kolkata did not explode and was covered in mud. It was only after getting off the coal train at Thalassery that I thought about the answer to the question of whether India would continue in the army after independence. Later Keeleri’s disciple Ramen in Kaleri.
Kolkata is calling
Kolkata is a much adored city for circus performers. Sankaran, a bar player, comes to that cult. Started as a horizontal bar player in Boss Lion Circus. There were not many bar players in Kolkata then. Although he arrived with a letter from Ramet, it didn’t take him long to prove that he was a genius who needed no recommendation. Starting salary is Rs.300. At that time, even the top government officials were getting less than Rs.100. One year at Boss Lion. Later, Raymond Gopalen, a native of Thalassery, worked in Raymond Circus for a year and a half. No other city cherishes the circus so much. All high class tickets will be sold out within hours. Even the police cannot control the crowd.
With his wife Shobhana
Gemini Shankaran
Circus for sale…buying? With these two words, Snehitan Kunjikannan was taming his desire to have his own circus. So he reached Pune which was far away by train. Kunjikannan is working there as a manager. When the circus went, the owner Mamu, who is from Maharashtra, replied that there is no sale now. He could not go long with the circus, which had only an elephant and two lions, and all the poles were torn and destroyed. A telegram message arrived informing that it was ready for sale. So the business was settled for six thousand rupees. 3000 was paid in cash. The rest of the money will be due within a year. His friend Sahadeva, who worked as a manager in the National Circus, also became a partner. New thumb, better players… total upgrade. On August 15, 1951, the independent circus venture was born; Gemini Circus. First show at Billimora between Surat and Baroda.
Gemini Shankaran, the greatest showman of all time, was also born there with a packed audience. The circus was named Gemini after its star. After a month’s stay at Billimora, to the surrounding towns. In some places, it suffered a lot because it did not get as many spectators as expected. Exhibition in Ahmedabad for Diwali in October 1954 that year. Nice collection. Gemini became a big circus in knots and mutts. Gemini received standing ovation in cities like Surat, Pune, Madras and Bangalore.
After five years, Jumbo Circus was bought from the Bengali owner. First game at Danapur near Patna on a Gandhi Jayanti day. With Gandhian ideals in mind, it was thought that the start of the new circus should be on Mahatma’s birthday. In the beginning Shankaretan also performed circus to amaze the audience. Like Gemini, Jameba became a big circus.
Nehru’s breathtaking performance
In 1962, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru came to Delhi to see the circus. Chellempal was not expecting to come to invite Nehru to inaugurate the show in Delhi and see the circus. Along with Vijayalakshmi Pandit and Indira Gandhi, Nehru came to see the circus earlier than said. This is his first experience. Even today, Shankrettan has framed in his mind what the Prime Minister said that he felt breathless during the dangerous and amazing performances of trapeze and jeep jumping and was proud to have such circuses in our country. Nehru returned after spending a long time with the circus performers.
With Nehru
Another memory and recognition is Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, who stands up and jumps like a child during adventurous scenes. Zakir Hussain, Lal Bahadur Shastri, S. Radhakrishnan, Martin Luther King, Lady Mountbatten, Dalai Lama, cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova and others from various walks of life came to see the circus and congratulate Shankar. Raj Kapoor’s Meranam Joker was shot at Gemini Circus in Bombay. Kamal Haasen’s rare siblings too, Shankrettan tembarukhi.
Always a traveler
Gemini Sankaran has conquered many countries like Iran, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Gulf, Japan, Hong Kong, Russia, Africa and Italy. It goes without saying that there are no countries that have not been visited or rulers that have not been congratulated. In all his travels, Sankaran, a reformer, searched for new ideas for the circus. Jeep jumping was first successfully attempted in 1957 in Gemini. It was here that the rumble of more than one motorcycle was heard inside the spinning globe. There were 18 elephants, 40 lions, 15 foxes, bears, orangutans, gorillas and foxes in the circus. Artists from China, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Africa were also lined up. In the early 1990s, Shankaretan took a break from active circus life. The philanthropist Shankaretan had a great relationship with the circus players and workers. When the animals came under control in the circus, a special abode was prepared for them in Wayanad and protected. Later they were handed over to the Forest Department.
Gemini Shankaran in Moscow
After the death of his wife Shobhana 10 years ago, Varate is living a leisurely life at home. Son Ajay Shankar is now looking after the circus. Other children Ashok Shankar is in Bengaluru with business and daughter Renu is a professor at Melbourne University in Australia. Although the age is close to 100, there is no stopping of travel. Before covid, he went to Gulf for his relative’s wedding and returned after receiving many respects and reception. Life is still organized with the simplicity of a circus show and the discipline of a soldier. The history of modern Indian circus stands tall with the name Jamini Shankar.