The last gasps of India's struggling circuses

A look behind the curtain at one of the country's surviving big tops

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A Rambo Circus acrobat prepares for her entrance.
A member of the acrobatic team peeks from behind the curtain as she waits backstage in Mumbai.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui))

(Image credit: Getty Images)

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

(Image credit: The Associated Press)

(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

The world's shortest man Chandra Bahadur Dangi, 72, poses for a picture with the artists of the Rambo Circus in Mumbai. Dangi, who is from Nepal and stands at 21.5 inches, made a guest appearance in the circus.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui))

A man in clown make-up washes dishes before a show in Pimpri, India.
(Image credit: (Allison Joyce/Getty Images))

(REUTERS/Vivek Prakash)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

(Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

Performers relax with their children in a tent before a show in Pimpri, India.
(Image credit: (Allison Joyce/Getty Images))

Biju the clown puts on gloves before a performance in Pimpri, India.
(Image credit: (Allison Joyce/Getty Images))

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.