CHENNAI: When Mary Abraham or Manna quit her teaching job in Kuwait to take up a position as a travelling teacher for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the United States, she had little idea as to how it would change her life and perceptions. An eight-year-long tryst with the famous circus company and the transformative effect it had on her would eventually make their way into a book, titled Heart of the Circus.
As an alumna of the Women’s Christian College, it seemed but natural that Manna would want to share her book and the experiences that went into it with a newer generation of college-goers now frequenting the campus she held so dearly. “When I walked out of this gate in 1977, who knew that I would be standing here one day with so much pride and joy? I’m just so full of it, I’m afraid it might all burst,” Manna remarked. The way she was received at the college’s centenary block on Saturday, it would have seemed she had never left the college. Principal Lillian Jasper was also present during this occasion on Saturday.
Heart of the Circus narrates her experiences of teaching the children of circus professionals, while living in a constantly-moving train. As the 64-coach train traverses through different states in America, life in the circus ring becomes a microcosm of the world outside, with its mix of laughter, joy, heartbreak, conflicts, births, deaths and so on. And her memoirs of those years are imbued with philosophical, sometimes spiritual insight into the human condition. Once called “the greatest show on earth”, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus operated for 145 years before it closed in 2017.
Looking back
In the almost five decades since she left college, among the hardships and tribulations she faced, she consistently remarked that her pathway was dotted with angels, one of whom, she said, was Fr MK George SJ (Curia Generalization, Vatican), among the guests during the occasion. She added, “He’s a wonderful friend, but not the person you’d want as your boss. A real taskmaster with whom I’ve often fought. Looking back, I now realise he was moulding me into the confident person I am now.”
‘A rare feat’
As the only Indian teacher in a circus company with more than 300 people from 27 countries apart from the many animals, Manna’s feat is certainly a unique one, remarked Father George, adding “Manna’s book is a story of grit and determination, a willingness to survive against the odds and the pain and guilt that one must bear while charting new paths in life. She has not merely survived this journey, she’s actually flourished. Her story will inspire many of us, especially women, to live and grow.”
‘Heart of the Circus’ is published by I Am An Author, a self-publishing group based in Chennai, and is available for sale at Rs 350.