A huge tent was erected in Gudivada near bus station.
As a part of advertisement, a huge powerful light used to be focussed on to the night sky moving from one horizon to another .
We , kids , used to wait eagerly to watch this marvellous spectacle in the sky . Each one of us had a different explanation for the light .
We had two bullock carts and bamboo hut like roofs on to the bullock carts.
Hay used to be spread thick and a couple of blankets on the hay , pillows , drinking water in tortoise shaped earthen jugs , ( tabeti kaaya) , snacks like karapposa, peanut jaggery sweets, peylala Pindi ( sweetened pop corn powder ) in a huge
can, extra hay bundles and an empty bucket , hanging under the cart for watering bullocks . It was mid summer . Excitement ran from morning itself as the plan was announced.
Dinner was served by 6 pm itself , and our family started out , 6 of us , last sister was not born I think , I am not sure .
Me along with 3 or 4 of my age group friends in one cart and the family in another cart . Gudise bandi . For one cart , curtains at the front and back , so that passersby will not know ladies were in there .
Two of our farm chief labourers driving the carts , with sickles in reach, for the return trip would be in the dead of the night , 15 km , 3 hours.
With bells on the bullocks , a lantern at the back , we kids talking non stop about the circus stories we heard , some real , some imaginary , some outlandish.
We reach by 9 , just 15 minutes before the show .
First two rows of soft cushion 5 rs , next row benches 3 rs . A princely sum then. A 75 kg grain bag fetched 50 rs then from the government , open market 60 rs , as there was compulsory levy procurement. 5 bags per acre , I think .
We go in some 10 of us , right on to the front row , staff tending to the bullocks outside in the parking area . Yes , there used to be bullock cart parking area , one rupee per cart .
And the show starts .
If for the first show , lions were the last act , for the second show lions were the first act , as a huge metal fence was erected for the lions show .
The ring master , a 5 foot five guy , with some kind of wand in one hand and a hunter whip in another , the lash of which used to sound like a rifle shot .
Lions , a dozen of them , trooping into the cage , sitting on benches , roaring with anger sometimes , the ring master lashing the whip in the air to control the lions and we were transported to another world . With open mouthed wonder , disbelief and for years we couldn't understand why the lions had not eaten up this little guy as breakfast or a night snack.
And the dwarfs . Jokers , they were called . Splitting the audience with laughter with their antics .
Elephants playing football , young girls , skimply clad , riding zebras with one leg on each one .
And then the trapazee artists , swinging wildly in the air , for one split second time stood still as they suspend in mid air without support and amidst the hoos and haas , another one catching them and on and on . Dropping from that height on to the net below was also another wonderment .
And there was this body builder . Who would bend steel rods with bare hands , break bricks with one head blow and to the liking of the ladies and their shy smiles , used to shake his breast to the beat of the drums .
Later on I learnt the art of this breast movement and in the hostel was a showman for the giggling girls .
Finally show ends . We start back . This time , no bullock galloping . Calm , relaxed walk .
The bullocks were the ultimate auto Tesla cars , Google Maps GPS , all built into one .
The drivers too used to sleep off , with one hand on the sickle , bullocks always on to the left side of the road , everyone falling asleep immediately after consuming snacks and around ,3 am , the bullocks stop right infront of the house and nod their heads vigorously so that drivers wake up to the sound of the bells . And each of us kids were lifted and placed on the beds in the house.
And we talked about it the whole summer and for years .
Later on , these so called animal lovers got animals banned from circuses and the very act lost its sheen and became extinct .
I was one of the fortunate of my generation to watch the real circus .
Now everyday , politicians provide the same entertainment with their circus .
