The Great Kanchana Circus

The Great Kanchana Circus by Vishwas Patil is a historical novel set in the early 1940s, against the backdrop of the Second World War and India’s struggle to end British rule. When Japanese forces bomb Rangoon and Mandalay in Burma, Kanchana Sarang Shine, proprietor of the Great Kanchana International Circus, undertakes a dangerous journey to bring her three-hundred-strong troupe safely back to India.

Based on true events, the novel combines the world of travelling circuses with the upheaval of wartime colonial India. The journey takes Kanchana and her troupe through treacherous mountains and jungles, confronting the dangers created by war, disease and displacement.

About This Book

The story begins while the Great Kanchana International Circus is touring Burma as the Second World War reaches a critical stage. Japanese fighter planes attack Rangoon and Mandalay, destroying British administrative and military installations and causing widespread loss of life. With Japanese troops advancing, the circus troupe faces an urgent struggle to escape.

At the centre of the narrative is Kanchana Sarang Shine, who takes responsibility for the safety of her large troupe. Her journey back to India becomes an arduous passage across thousands of kilometres of difficult terrain, transforming the novel into a story of survival and endurance.

The book also places its fictional narrative within the historical context of women-led circuses in India. The publisher description notes that more than forty circus companies were being run by women in western and southern India during this period. Through this setting, Vishwas Patil explores loyalty, survival and human resilience amid war and disease.

What You'll Discover

• The Great Kanchana International Circus during the Second World War
• Japanese attacks on Rangoon and Mandalay in wartime Burma
• Kanchana Sarang Shine’s effort to protect her three-hundred-strong troupe
• A perilous journey across mountains and jungles towards India
• The impact of war, disease and displacement on ordinary lives
• The historical world of women-run circuses in western and southern India
• Themes of survival, loyalty and human endurance
• A historical adventure inspired by true events

Perfect For

• Readers who enjoy historical fiction
• Readers interested in the Second World War and colonial India
• Readers drawn to stories of survival and endurance
• Readers interested in the history of travelling circuses

Why You'll Love This Book

The Great Kanchana Circus combines wartime history, adventure and the extraordinary world of the circus in a story of survival. Vishwas Patil follows Kanchana Sarang Shine and her troupe through a dangerous wartime journey, while exploring loyalty, disease, endurance and the human struggle to survive upheaval.