Gulabi a.k.a Gulabo means pink colour..Gulabo is daughter of a snake charmer and belongs to the Rajasthan’s Kalbeliya snake tribe..I met Gulabo at Pushkar.. Where she was performing in RTDC’s (Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation) annual fare.. She is a world famous Kalbelia dancer..
Hi, I am shooting for a Documentary Film “Entertainers of India”.. Hastily I informed her about my visit of Pushkar fare.. Her secretary was in more hurry than me..
“Madam zara jaldi khatam karna”..
I just passed a smile to him because I have not yet began and this fellow is talking about the end..
My first question was very usual “When did you start dancing?”
As soon as I began to walk, I started to dance.. she replied and simultaneously was re-doing her makeup and dresses..
I need to know MORE about your life, childhood, dance training, struggle etc. etc.
.. and she begin with her father.. Who was a snake charmer as well as a street dancer, he used to dance on the “been (a traditional instrument of Indian snake charmer)” music and beg..
I always accompanied my father during his dance performances on the streets, It was not our traditional profession but yes was a source of me and my siblings upbringing.. However for me dancing on streets was not a respectful job which my father was doing.. but dance was my passion.. My society was completely against of my dancing, but somehow my father stood by me..
Sometime at the age of nine, I had participated in a Holi carnival.. And then next
year I performed at the annual Pushkar Festival of Rajasthan, along with other girls of my tribe.. There I got noticed by RTDC Festival committee members, they called me to perform in another event..
After sometime I got a call to perform in Jaipur, but my society was opposed me.. Whereas my father was with me.. He stood by me as an armour.. and announced publically that he would burn me alive if ever I will turn to a wrong path. Reluctantly my community head gave his permission..
And Gulabo’s success story starts.. Thereafter she went on to perform in various places of India as well as abroad.. She has worked with French artists too..
Dancing is not their traditional profession.. Her community is known for catching snakes and taking out the venom.. Besides this, they care for injured and unwell snakes also. An interesting element of this tribe is they use snake venom to make kajal, and because of this, no Kalbelia tribe member use spectacles..
Amazing hai naa??..
As far as her dance is concerned, she choreograph her dances herself.. I am the inventor of my dance form.. For me dance is like worshipping GOD..
I also noticed her 3 year old daughter, were trying to match her baby steps with her mother’s flawless dance.. Is it a making process of another international dancer?? “abhi se kya keh sakte hain” a modest answer of proud mother..
I have seen a miserable childhood.. She recalled her past.. “my mother used to make tents for us using waste material.. Hence, my focus is to educate my five children and give them a blissful life.. and also give them a freedom to choose their life paths..
I could not believe that my camera was talking to an illiterate, tribal woman.. Who has become a role model for her community..
From living a life of a gipsy to a life of an internationally acclaimed kalbelia dancer, certainly Gulabo has come a long way.. She owes her success to God and her father.. She was sounding very positive about the future of this dance form..
Through that documentary she also made an appeal to every Indian citizen that “Please stop gender discrimination, do not abort female foetus”..
Let me transcribe her feelings in a poetic way..
बेटी बनकर माँ बाप की ख्वाइश को अधूरा किया मैंने
सबने मुझे कांच का पुतला समझा, पर ख़ुद को टूटने नहीं दिया मैंने
सफ़ेद कागज़ का टुकडा कहा, पर धुल न जमने दी मैंने
किसीने भी मुझे कुल का चिराग नहीं कहा
फ़िर भी अपने कुल का नाम रोशन किया मैंने..
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