10 rupees well spent

maree

One of the best things I saw last year in India was the Soni Maruti Circus at the Minjar Mela in Chamba (HP). It was one of those old fairground attractions called, I think, “The Wall of Death” (I’m sure I saw one in an old Elvis movie on TV one day when I was growing up… for some of you they might be old hat but for me it was something new). There was a steep walled wooden stadium thing about 8 metres high and motorbikes would drive up it.

We paid our 10 rupees, walked up to the platform surrounding the enclosure and wondered how high the motorbikes would get – my guess was about halfway up…… wrong! Four bikes started up and after about 3 laps they were right up the top and half the time they weren’t even hanging on to the handlebars and were moving around on the bikes. I could have reached and pushed them off if I wasn’t giggling nervously (and if I was psycho) – it was bloody scary.

And next thing you know, they were joined by 2 little hatchback cars! They got right to the top too, the drivers were hanging out the window and opening and closing the doors. I was utterly gobsmacked and, if I was nervous before, I was giggling hysterically by now as I leaned in to take some photos. The whole stadium was rumbling and they were a bit close for comfort. Anyway, the best 10 rups I spent in India.

The Minjar Mela was pretty cool too – a big procession down to the river on the main day plus a big fair before hand with live entertainment from traditional musicians and Punjabi disco stars! If you’re in the area next August, I’d recommend it.

abracax

At the Rajkamal Circus that tours Karnataka and other southern states they have a "Sphere of Death", a large steel-frame ball with rails inside that the motorcyclists (Russians, as I recall) race along at all angles, including perpendicular.

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