Main aisa kyun hoon..

Scene 1

Year 1993

It all started (or rather ended) with an incident, 15 years ago. I was in Std I. We were supposed to perform on the patriotic number “yeh desh hai veer javano ka”. It was a big group comprising of some 12 boys and girls, dressed in traditional attire – each representing a different culture of our country. I was endowed with a chance to wear a dhoti and having seen my grandfather, I was too eagerly to take dhoti as my dress, while others were fighting for choices. So, the day had come and assumedly, rehearsals had been fine. At the last moment (at least that is how I remember it) we were asked to change some of our dance ‘steps’. Everything went fine, until my wardrobe ‘malfunctioned’. Actually, towards the end, it so happened that everyone was going round and round with the beat oooooooooo (that follows the part yeh desh hai duniya kagehna). I went over the board a way too much and was enjoying myself dangling round-and-round. Suddenly, my dhoti (which my mom had tied up for me) flew open. I was singled out and my dance instructor shouted later “ab kbhi mat bolna ki dance krna hai”. I was a laughing stock for my classmates till months that followed. I thought I would, in due course of time, recuperate from the shock.

Scene 2

Year 1999

My favorite cousin at my Nanighar was getting married and the excitement surrounding his marriage was huge. It was the marriage that so many relatives of mine had been looking forward to. The stakes were high. And the “Geet-sammelan” preparations were on, with huge fanfare. I also succumbed to the temptation, and decided to present a dance on K2H2, a popular recent release in those days. So there was this friend of my sister (yeah, she was pretty….) who came to my place to help me (and my sister) learn the steps. And I was the butt of laughter & ridicule “body itna stiff kyun hai”, ”arey gadhe aise nhi aise kro” and son on and so forth. Finally, after two days of toiling hard, I gave up L Yeah, while all my cousins were performing, I was ruing not having put enough effort and loosing it all! At the same time I had lost hope that I’ll ever learn to dance

Scene 3

Year 2008/09

A decade has passed. From high school I have moved onto a management college.  During a visit to the Times Utsav, there was a promotional training by a reputed dance institute, and they were teaching Salsa. That was one of the first instances where I garnered the courage to do what I wanted to. So threw away my bag, and started the training. And my Enthu level– my friends would vouch for that! I knew I wasn’t any better at the workshop but then who cares. I wanted to dance, I love dancing – so what if my body is stiff, my movements aren’t proper, and I am very conscious. I am not doing for anyone else’s sake. It was me dancing for myself. Or at least I like to think so! So when I was dancing yesterday in the salsa workshop during Euphoria, I was only euphoric about it. I m trying, and am trying hard. Ravinder is contemplating to join full-time salsa classes, and I am thinking of joining him. I hope I am able to. Otherwise, at my rate, it’ll take me another decade to start moving.

"Pappu'' is not all that alone.......