KOCHI: They dance to the tune of ‘dhol’ all dolled up like perfect Rajasthani ‘gudiyas’, never missing a beat. Watch the dainty women doing a traditional jhoomer creating flashy circles and you are in for a surprise. Three out of the four dancers performing at the two-day mini Rajasthan festival at Pappali Hall are, in fact, men. Ram Parsad Sharma aka Albeli, the lead dancer, says he has been into dancing for the last 16 years. “I did my graduation at Sadhu Maha Vidyalay. Initially, I wanted to become a teacher. Then I thought of becoming a baby sitter, and now I am here dancing. But I am really happy about what I do,” says Ram Parsad.
He is the director of the group, Albeli Lok Kala Mandal, and says he along with his group has travelled to many parts of West Asia and Europe and will be going to Paris next month. “More than stage shows we perform at high-profile weddings.
For most of the north Indian weddings, a traditional Rajasthani item is inevitable as it adds grandeur to the whole celebration,” says Ram.
The group performs a variety of traditional art forms that include the popular chari, guji, algooja, kacchi ghodi, bhawari and ghomer kalbelia. Ask him where he learnt dance and he says, it is something that comes naturally to the desert folk. “There is no need for formal lessons. These dances were mainly performed at the harems to entertain queens, and men were not allowed there.
Only eunuchs had entry and they were the main performers during the royal era. Now we perform these dances,” he says.
Ram Parsad has acted in a Bollywood film ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ and has fond memories of receiving an award from film actress Neena Gupta and welcoming Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea when they visited Rajasthan.
“When they saw us perform they readily joined us and we all danced together,” he says.
On whether he likes decking up as a ‘chori’ and dancing. he replies, “It’s after all a profession and, yes, I do love dancing.”
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