imported>Tarakeswar Dolai: /* Early life */

2021-08-01T18:24:15Z

Early life

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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Orphan|date=August 2015}}

{{Infobox person
| name = Sushila Sundari<br/>সুশীলাসুন্দরী
| image = Sushila Sundari.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Sushila Sundari posing for photograph, reclining herself on Lakshmi, a tigress, in its cage.
| birth_date = 1879
| birth_place =
| death_date = 1924
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| occupation = Circus performer
| nationality = [[British India]]
| spouse = Mr Motilal Bose
| parents =
| children =
| known_for = First Indian woman to perform in a circus
}}

'''Sushila Sundari Bose''' (1879 - 1924) was the first Indian woman to perform in a circus.<ref name="samsad">{{cite encyclopedia |editor1-last=Sengupta |editor1-first=Subhodh Chandra |editor2-last=Basu |editor2-first=Anjali |encyclopedia=Samsad Bangali Charitabhidhan (Bibliographical Dictionary) |script-title=bn:সুশীলাসুন্দরী |trans-title=Sushila Sundari |language=Bengali |edition=4th |date=January 2002 |publisher=Shishu Sahitya Samsad |volume=Volume 1 |location=Kolkata |isbn=81-85626-65-0 |pages=601|title=Sansad Bangali charitabhidhan }}</ref> She was known for her daring acts with the tigers at the Great Bengal Circus.

== Early life ==
Like her husband Motilal Bose (son of [[Manomohan Bose]] and elder brother of [[Priyanath Bose]]) Sushila Sundari Bose was born in a Jaminder family of Rambagan area in the year 1879 of old Calcutta. Her primery education was started at Bethune School. In her childhood she learn horse riding and wrestling with the other members of her family. Later she became the daughter in law to the famous Bose family of Chhota Jagulia, North 24 Parganas District of present-day West Bengal. She was fluent in English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi and many other Indian languages. Her father's family was against her involvement in circus but her husbend gave support to her. In circus before her performence with tigers her acrobatics,and other performance like cart wheel and daredevil performence were very populer. Very little is known about her family background and early life. It is said that she is probably from a branch of the Mitra family of Kolkata. Her sister Kumudini Devi was also a performer at the Great Bengal Circus.<ref name="samsad"/>

== Career ==
[[File:Great Bengal Circus pyramid act.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Sushila Sundari in pyramid act (middle row, on the right)(on the left side her sister Kumudini Devi)]]
[[File:Sushila Sundari with Shumbha and Nishumbha.jpg|thumb|Sushila Sundari with Shumbha and Nishumbha]]
Sushila Sundari's was one of the star performers of the Great Bengal Circus, owned and directed by Professor Bose([[Priyanath Bose]]). She was an expert gymnast and trapeze artist. She could also ride a horse. At the opening of show, she and her sister Kumudini arrived on the stage riding and standing on horse.

In November 1896, the Great Bengal Circus displayed their acts at the durbar of [[Rewa (princely state)|Rewa]]. The prince of [[Rewa (princely state)|Rewa]] was so pleased with their performance that he gifted them a pair of Bengal tigers. The tigers were believed to bring luck to the team and therefore christened as Lakshmi and Narayan, after the Hindu deities. Sushila learned how to master the tigers. By 1901, the shows of Great Bengal Circus would feature Sushila Sundari in daring acts with the two tigers. She would enter their cage with ease and make them growl, stand up and sit down. She would arm wrestle with them<ref name="sengupta16112014">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-times/deep-focus/Swadeshi-girls-in-the-ring/articleshow/45163801.cms|title=Swadeshi girls in the ring|last=Sengupta|first=Nandini|date=16 November 2014|work=The Times of India|accessdate=5 March 2015}}</ref> and display their open jaws. After that she would recline on them and pose for photographs.

When of one of the trained tigers died, she attempted the daring acts with an untrained tiger named Fortune. During the performance, Fortune severely wounded Sushila with its paws. Sushila became invalid for circus for the rest of her life.<ref name="samsad"/> She then started to teach physical exercises, wrestling, sword fighting, stick wielding, cycle riding and horse riding in her husband Motilal Bose's akhra. Motilal Bose (Classmate and friend of Narendranath Dutta/Swami Vivekananda.) was a wrestler who along with his brother [[Priyanath Bose]] founded several akhada like Chingirpota akhra whose members were later involved in revolutionary activities. The Bose family had a residence in Kolkata at the crossing of [[Bidhan Sarani]] and [[Vivekananda Road]]. Most of her students(both boys ans girls) are later involved in revolutionary activities. Her health deteriorated and she passed in 1924. Old people of her area are still remember a lady with chained tiger fluently chatting with young students in a royel manner.

== See also ==
* [[Priyanath Bose]]
* [[Soham Swami]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sundari, Sushila}}
[[Category:1879 births]]
[[Category:1924 deaths]]
[[Category:Animal trainers]]
[[Category:Indian circus performers]]
[[Category:Bethune College alumni]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Artists from Kolkata]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]
[[Category:Women artists from West Bengal]]

Sushila Sundari - Revision history

imported>Tarakeswar Dolai: /* Early life */