Sorrows of the sand

The chilling cold marks the on set of the peak winter. Fragile folk songs along with the drum beats break the silence of the darkness. The evening is set for a traditional cultural evening in the camp. Dim lights separate the cloak of darkness. People are moving slowly to their seats while hearing the songs, though many of them don’t understand the lines and meanings.

The artists are six or seven in numbers. Two women and a child artist find their place among other senior male artists. The tune of music is changed to the most popular kesaria balam and the beats of drums also pick up an interesting tune.

There are a few foreigners and some tourists from other places in India. One corner of the sitting space a table is placed and liquor bottles are kept on  it. The sale from liquor adds revenue to the business of camping.

Snacks and tea are already served. Snacks are some fried pappads and pakkoras. The music is changed to ghoomer dance. The girl did a wonderful dance performance and made every visitor happy enough as cheers are visible among them. There was fire in the pot of the girl which placed on the head of the dancing girl, and she could wonderfully balance well with the fast movements. Camera flashes were shining and some kids were also doing video recording.

One gentle man stood up and took some Indian currency notes and slowly walk down to the girl, who was about to finish the dance. The gentle man also made some dance movements (which he only knows). It appears to others very funny when a person appreciate the performance by showing the richness and paying Rs. 100/- .

The next dance begun. In this performance the girl had 8-9 pots placed on the head and she was moving fast. One small piece of wood, on the top nails were fixed in such a way that it can injure the  performers foot. The girl slowly stepped on the nails and started moving her body according to the music tunes. When she came out another man who is in his mid forties slowly moved to her and started dancing while showing the notes which he was holing in his lips. It was quite funny and shocking too to see in a place the man was doing this movements which we only see in bolliwood movies.

The girl (dancing) snatched the currency not in a interesting manner and it seems his wife and other members were laughing unstoppably by seeing his act (As if he has found his new soulmate)

In the next movement few more male counter parts joined the team.

Seeing the gestures of the men who are around the bonfire, it appeared as if they are in some dance bars in Mumbai or any other metro cities, who always feel that entertainment means stepping in the tunes of dance with weak and fallen steps, showing some currency notes (for them it is a piece of paper and for the artists, it is something which gives them bread and butter )