On the insistence of my friends I agreed to watch the circus which was running in the grounds near to where we stay. I have been to the circus when I was a kid and I have not enjoyed the act then as well.
Because of the ban imposed by Maneka Gandhi on the use animals in circus the whole of the acts for two and a half hour is put up by humans since there is no activist who speaks for this species yet. The only animals that were used in the act were dogs, horses canary and elephants. What I felt most depressing is the fact that almost 90 to 95% of the acts are done by young girls who are barely 18. And many of the daring stunts which usually get our hearts thumping hard into our chest are done with little or no precautionary measures. And what do these girls get in return for the work that they do very minimal I should guess and I am sure they do get lots of harsh words and severe beating if nothing else.
This act made me wonder in India there is a law against child labor. Would these innocent girls be covered under this law?
The lives of these girls are really pathetic these girls go on touring with the circus and hence not getting the opportunity to study. Even if they want to do something else in life they won’t be able to do anything decent as they know nothing more that these acts that they learned in here. The life of the people who work in circus is a virtual circle as I see it those who are part of the circus troupe more or less marry within the troupe and their children in turn become part of the act put up by the troupe and this circle goes on and on. What is most depressing is the poverty that can be seen and felt when we go to the circus the condition of the humans and animals are pitiable the props they use are old, the dresses that they have to wear is dismal all in all there is very sad feel to the whole act and atmosphere.
A very depressed me was what got out from the circus feeling sad and useless of not being able to do anything to better the condition of these girls and these people in whole.
There are enough laws against child labour in India but its very difficult to enforce.In some instances the case might be child abuse but in some cases child might be orphan so if he dont work how wud he/she survive?If that child is the breadwinner of a family(if the father/mother/both is no more. Its a very tricky part reg child abuse.Anyways you dont need to be sad and useless as ppl with good intent can do a lot to such people.You can actually join as a teacher in some government schools in kerala/Mumbai and help those kids.In govt run schools where mostly the poors study, the quality of education can be vastly improved this way.Otherwise, I personally there is no useful outcome from what u feel.
ReplyDeleteU could just relax and watch the show next time if you ever make it to circus. You are right, the risks, the age and the innocence. I dunno if there's any law to support that.. but i guess there's no law to support their livelihood too..they make a living like u. They don't want sympathy just watch,encourage and pay then. As they believe, "The Show Must Go On".
ReplyDeleteKande :D
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