Circus and Sideshow in the Long Nineteenth Century: A Documentary History

Volume IV: Circus in India

Aastha Gandhi

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781032454948
• eBook ISBN:
  9781040870686
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: 19th Century History

This collection of primary sources brings together a series of documents derived from archives, journals, newspapers, out-of-print books, memoirs, letters, and other written materials pertaining to the circus during the long nineteenth century (1789-1919). Historians concur that the 'modern' circus emerged in London in the late-eighteenth century, following the entrepreneurial initiatives of Philip Astley (1742-1814). It soon spread to Scotland, Ireland, France, Russia, Scandinavia, and other regions of Europe. Introduced to the United States by and English equestrian, John Bill Ricketts, in 1793, the modern circus transformed into a movable tent show by 1825. Following the Civil War and the development of railroad transport, the uniquely American circus transformed again into an 'industrialized juggernaut' capable of entertaining a large and diverse population from coast to coast. Transmitted across the globe through the British colonial project, the circus flourished in the colonies of Australasia, South Africa, South- and Southeast Asia, and was nourished by traditional performance forms of China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. The modern circus evolved through interaction with different geographies, socio-political contexts, new technologies, cultural heritage, and absorption of vernacular performance forms.
Accompanied by extensive editorial commentary, and edited by an international team of scholars, this collection will be of great interest to students and researchers of circus studies, theatre and performance studies and cultural history.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• General Introduction
• Introduction to Volume IV
• Part 1 The First Touring Indian Artists: The Jugglers, Tamers, And Wrestlers
• Part 2 Travelling Artists From Asia
• Part 3 Precarious Conditions of Indian Artists in Foreign Lands and Public Outcry
• Part 4 Touring International Circuses in India
• Part 5 The First Indian Circuses
• Part 6 Women Artists in Indian Circuses
• Part 7 Strongmen in Circuses and Their Acts
• Part 8 Circus Tents
• Part 9 Non-Human Performers from India in International Circuses
• Part 10 Indian Circuses and Artists on International Tours
• Bibliography
• Index