Dancing Memories

My every morning starts with Amit’s singing practice. I don’t know when he gets up. I wake up with his aalaap. Today morning was not any different. He was practicing in the kitchen and I was on the bed. I woke up from the bed, still sitting and stretching my both arms with a long yawn just like I was saying the laziness resides in me “Its time to go now.” The sweet melody of taanpura and Amit’s singing tuned the whole atmosphere. I moved a little on bed to open the window just near the bed, I guessed it was Raaga Puriya Dhanashri he was singing; “Kaahe ched mohe garbha lagaye”. As I opened the window the sunrays flashed upon my eyes making everything white.

Ta-Thai-ta-ta-Thai, Ta-Thai-ta-ta-Thai. Masterji was playing the tabla and at the same time singing, “Ta-Thai-ta-ta-Thai.” I was trying to understand his rhythm and was dancing on the beats. He was my katthak master who used to come our home for katthak training. I was eight years old now and the most talented, and sweet child in my family. I was very interested in dancing so my papa had brought a home tutor to teach katthak. Still, situation was same in the family. A girl was not as free as a boy was. But I enjoyed my katthak classes every day.

“Khushboo beta, ye teen taal hai, yaad rakhana.” He was claping his hands for every taal trying his best to make me understand. I was very clever. I understood it clearly and demonstrated the same thing to him. He was very happy.

“Aur masterji, ye ‘chal matwali’ gaane ka raag kaunsa hai?”

He hummed the tune in his mouth, closing his eyed in as he had disappeared in heaven. Still humming. Suddely he came back from that heaven and said, “Raag Puriya Dhanashri”.

Today Amit was also singing Puriya dhanashri. It made me remember my childhood. I got up from the bed and got ready to go for the school. Amit has summer vacation in monsoon so he is at home all the time. He dropped me at the school and went back to take sleep.

I observed one thing about VKE school, as well as I enter the school, I feel alive, more energetic and enthusiastic. May be this is my inborn quality. The fast life inside the school was started. Did not know how time went so early. It was last session. Dance teacher Chandu sir came. He thinks he looks and dances like Michael Jackson so he prefer to be called as Michael sir. The dance session started. CD player’s sound and the rhythm of the song “Ibn – a – batuta” making us tap our feet. I was watching him and thinking I dance better than him.

That was a Friday night. Amit and I were watching a dance show on TV. A small girl named Swasti came on the floor and performed superb katthak on ‘Taare Zameen Par’ song. It was so amazing that even the juries gave her standing ovation. She was dancing as well as singing the song though it was playing on the CD player. When asked by one of the judges why she was singing while dancing, she replied, “Hamaare Bhagalpur mein humesha bijili jaati hai. To hum khud hi gaana bolkar dance ki practice karte hain.” I was very pleased to see that girl from the same town, Bhagalpur, where I was born and brought up, was performing in such a polpular dance show. “Amazing!”. I said to myself feeling proud of my town. Suddenly the pressure cooker whistled loudly, “Fooossshhhhhh” and I lost in my childhood.

It was my dream to perform on TV reality show. I was very good in katthak and won many inter-school prizes. Once a district level competition was held and I was sent by the school for that competition. First time in life I had seen such a big competition. The stage was too big to dance and there were hundreds of participants came from well known schools and dance academies. I decided to myself that I had to dance not to win the competition but to please myself. That thought stopped my shivering feet and jumping heart and I was relaxed like I had already won the competition. That was a good sign of self confidence. When I went on stage and performed, I felt like I am dancing in my house, free movements with no stress. I enjoyed the competition. The result declared and I got first prize; a big silver trophy and Rs. 501 cash. I thought I was the happiest girl in the world. Yes, that was my day.

When I came back home my mother was so happy to see her daughter winning such a great competition, she started crying in an emotional outburst. She hugged me and kissed me many a times. To see her crying I also cried. You know, you can’t see you parents cry, the scene makes you cry. Same happened with me that time. My mother showed that trophy to everyone in the house, my uncle, aunt, my cousins and my papa. But papa was not looking as happy as mom was.

“Main to meri beti ko bada hokar Madhuri Dixit jaisi dancer banaaungi”, mom said kissing my cheeks one more time.

Papa made a serious, somewhat angry expression by bringing his eyebrows closer together, lines appeared on his forehead. He was of traditional thinking that girls are good for household things. “Dancer banake usko kya orchestra mein nachana hai. Wo dance jarur sikhegi, lekin dancer banke TV show mein jaane ke liye nahi, to apne khushi ke liye.”

Life is so colourful. Just a moment ago I was so happy for getting the prize and now I am all in despair for seeing my future not as a dancer. I went and lied down on bed, crying alone. The silver trophy was still there in my hand. I had no option but to keep it aside. Mom called me from the bathrooom saying, “Mickey,my pet name, cooker ki teen sitiya ho gayi hai. Gas band kardo.”

I was opening the cooker lid and arranging the food for Amit and me. On every turn of life I was living my childhood. I was really living my real ‘ME’.

On the dining table Amit asked me, “I was also very good in dance but I left and concentrate on my singing. My dancing skills never help me anyways. Did your dancing help you?”

“Yes, it did.” I continued. “Just because I was very intelligent in dance as well as in academics my both sisters and a brother used to get concession in fees in Bhagalpur school. School did not ask me for fees from the day I won the inter-school dance competition. School used to know my brother and sisters, even my parents with my name. Even now when mom goes to the town and visits school, they say, “Khushboo ki maa aayi hai.” Sometimes its beneficial to be talented in the school. I had taken advantage of that.” I finished my dinner and slept while watching movie on computer.