After a decade, circus to return to Park Circus Maidan this winter
Telegraph | 9 September 2025A Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) official said the last circus was held at the ground in 2014, after which the police withheld permission citing fears of traffic congestion due to the construction of the arms connecting the Parama and AJC Bose Road flyovers. With the work now completed, the police issued a no-objection certificate in December 2024, paving the way for the shows.
“We floated a tender, and Ajanta Circus emerged as the highest bidder, quoting ₹30.02 lakh,” said a KMC official. “The circus is tentatively scheduled between December 1 and January 31, 2026.”
Debashis Kumar, the mayoral council member overseeing parks and squares, told Metro: “Circus shows are held annually at Patuli and Sinthee. From this winter, Park Circus Maidan will be back on the map.”
While the shows will not feature animals — following the ban on use of animals in circuses — Ajanta Circus promises to retain the magic. “We now focus on gymnastics and acrobatics,” said Joynul Haque, proprietor of Ajanta Circus.
“There will be three shows of two-and-a-half hours each. The last time we featured tigers and lions was in 2000, also at Park Circus Maidan.”
Legacy ground
Despite popular belief, Park Circus Maidan didn’t get its name from the circus, said Prodosh Bhattacharya, who completed a PhD on the history of circus in India from the University of Warwick.
“Like Piccadilly Circus in London, Park Circus referred to a circular road junction. These often became community gathering spots, and circuses started using them. Shows have been held at Park Circus Maidan since the early 20th century, and even the Calcutta Maidan once hosted circus,” he said.
Traffic watch
A senior Kolkata Police officer said their main concern was managing additional vehicle flow during the event. “Park Circus Maidan is under the KMC’s custody. We don’t object to events inside the ground, but parking is an issue,” the officer said.
To manage traffic, the police will allow parking on Suhrawardy Avenue after 3pm, once school traffic eases — a rule followed for other events at the ground. The officer estimated an additional 150 cars in the area during show hours.
