Memories of childhood fascinations never really fade. They lie coiled

up in a breathless corner of the mind and surface in surprising ways.

One such unforgettable awe has been transformed into memorable

portraits of beauty in motion by Hari Mahidhar.

Watched from the mesmerized eyes of a small boy, the circus was a

medley of joyful experiences beyond words. When the same experience is

captured through a camera by a master photographer, the result is pure

visual ecstasy.

Symphony of synchronization. Melody of movements. Confounding

co-ordination. A circus is a panorama of human dexterity calculated to

the nth degree of impossibility.

The infinite moment of human flight between trapezes, when time stands

still along with one's heart, stays with the viewer forever. Here is

an attempt to capture that very slippery moment through the camera

lens. The result is a tribute to those artistes who mastered skills

beyond ordinary humans but led lives of misery in grey tents, once the

greasepaint and the glittery costumes were shed. These are the

outstanding humans for whom the circus ring is life, come what may.

The show must go on, no scope for error no margin for mistake.3hours

in a stretch, 3shows a day and 30 days a month no retakes, throughout

the year, is where they lose themselves as individuals and transform

into performers. The three hours turns them into entertainers

irrespective of their personal issues. Pushing the limits of human co

ordination still thriving an inhuman life.

A circus artiste can focus on only one thing - faultless execution.

And a lifetime is honed to achieve this perfection where a tiny error

can be fatal.

If this collection of pictures evokes a sense of awed wonder in each

one of us, then this mission is fulfilled. The circus stands head and

shoulders above all other kind of entertainment birthed by modern day

technology simply because nothing can replace human effort. May this

amazing art continue to flourish in years to come.