Sushila Sundari was India's first woman circus star. She was part of the Great Bengal Circus. Sushila would open the mouths of lions and tigers with barehands and put her head inside. This was 1890s. So that makes it more than 120 years back. Am trying to find out if there is some photograph of hers. Hence this blog. There is an interesting article in JSTOR called, The Self-Image of Effeteness: Physical Education and Nationalism in Nineteenth Century Bengal. That has a mention of the Great Bengal Circus, where she would perform. Anyone with any links/pictures/articles, please write back.
Actually, Sushila Sundari, also came to mind while reading the Barn Owl's Wondrous Capers. (Sarnath Banerjee's clever second graphic novel). I was surprised why Sarnath did not mention/use Sushila Sundari in his novel.
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