Baba Ramdev's Ukrainian classes

It was Mehndi day of the NRI shaadi in Pune. For a wedding that was put together in 15 days, I’d say not bad at all. Lesson for those who take six months to a year to organize their wedding- Big money works just as hard in two weeks!

The clueless groom asks me if he is allowed to walk around. Hell it’s your wedding, do the monkey dance if you please. You’re anyway marrying someone your folks don’t ‘get’. Yet.

As I said, money talks. In this case, it dances to the tune of Chhammak Chhallo. Which by the way looks a notch sexier when performed by Ukrainian belly dancers: All flown down especially to add the exotic to destination Pune. I guess Russia’s neighbours felt Raj Kapoor’s lasting effect too.

I sat in front of the several-pegs-down Uncles. It spared me from watching their jaws drop and their wives jiggle as soon as Madam Ukraine swayed her hips in their faces. Then, amidst the whistles, claps and Indo-Arabic music, my ears picked up a gem.

Shiny-shirt Uncle: Imported dancers, na! See, see how she’s doing. Beautifool!

White-safari-suit Uncle: Heh! Ye to humne bhi seekha hai. TV pe bhi dikhaate hai, na.

Shiny-shirt Uncle: Achha?  

White-safari-suit Uncle: Arre, this is Kapaalbhati only. Baba Ramdev? He does so easily. Same like what she’s doing.

Shiny-shirt Uncle: Oh haaan… ye to Baba Ramdev ka step hai. Haan-haan. TV pe dekha hai. Great yaar. Sab to apne India se aata hai. Aur ye belly dance kehke karte hain.

This eavesdropping has completely changed my perspective on belly dance stomach undulations. If that’s not familiar territory for you, try visualizing Baba Ramdev in a bedlah, which is the traditional belly dance costume. 


Now bridh in and bridh out.