A FRESHLY MOULDED clay pot dries and settles into shape under the beating sun, partially shaded by a khejri tree. Wooden cots in vivid reds and blues invite us for a siesta as their metal legs bore into the desert floor. We are hours away from the capital of Rajasthan, in the holy town of Pushkar, awaiting the arrival of Rekha Kalbelia like one would a rock star at a concert. Not too far away, a rhythmic bass pounds steadily. Could it be one of those secret rave parties in the desert? A wedding ceremony perhaps?
“Greetings,” says Rekha, breaking our reverie as she steps out of her mud house. “I am the first of the many Kalbelia dancers you will meet in our beautiful village today.”
She doesn’t have to declare it. The 25-year-old is the leader of the Kalbelia dancers of Pushkar. Traditionally devotees of Lord Shiva, the dancers are women from the eponymous tribe who mimic the movement of a serpent—the trusted companion of the hip god. This was a natural progression from their métiers as snake charmers and extractors of snake poison, outlawed by the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. There are no snakes in Pushkar, at least none visible. We do, however, come across a snake charmer, who, despite the oppressive heat, radiates a cool nonchalance, his ears and neck bedecked in gold-plated brass jewellery. Then, the music begins.
Denne historien er fra November - December 2023-utgaven av VOGUE India.
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Denne historien er fra November - December 2023-utgaven av VOGUE India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
