Meeting at a Distance
By Columbia Strawberry Cunha
In 2020 , I thought the world would end . Queen Harish had passed away a year before and I thought all my dreams of going to India would come crashing down . An angel came to me by the name of Imamddin Khan . He contacted me and we have been good friends ever since . I decided that belly dance was just not my thing and wanted to learn Rajasthani dancing . Imamddin immediately introduced me to Chari , Terah Taali , and Kalbeliya dance . It is with Imamddin ’ s help that I got the opportunity to fill that void . I have learned so much that I want to break down the dances I have learned in detail .
Chari : A pot dance done by many women in Rajasthan . It consists of a pot with a pillow called an indhoni . Sometimes fire is added for dramatic effect by using oil-soaked cotton seeds in kerosene . Chari is thought to be one of the many dances which inspired Egyptian vessel dances that the Roma people brought to Turkey and Egypt . It is inspired by the villagers carrying water back and forth . When fire is put into it , it creates a lovely and exciting balancing act that can be beautifully dangerous .
Imamddin Khan of Jaisalmer , Rajasthan Photo by Sarah O ’ Brien , 2014
Terah Taali ( Kamada ): I saw this in the film Latcho Drom years ago and wanted to learn all about it . Imamddin introduced me to a teacher who is a part of the Kamada community , and I learned how to swing manjira . Rekkha is a Kamad woman who dances with the Dharohar Folk Dance Show located in Bangore Ki Haveli in Udaipur , Rajasthan . Her family of female entertainers does all sorts of folk dances , but Terah Taali seems to be one of the longeststanding traditions they still uphold . This dance is done for a ritual for the folk hero Baba Ramdev Pir ji who lived in the 14 th century and is believed to be an avatar of Lord Krishna . This dance uses 13 manjira tied onto the body . These represent thoughts and prayers to Baba Ramdev Pir
January 2023 � The Belly Dance Chronicles 47