Friday Feature: Faces of India

Who: Folk musicians and dancers
Where: At Chokhi Dhani, near Jaipur, Rajasthan
What: These are real folk singers and dancers who come to Chokhi Dhani, a faux village that comes to life every night.It's a riot of color, music, dance, street food and a traditional vegetarian dinner. Saying any more will take away from the pictures. Enjoy!

Folk musicians
Folk musicians

Dancers with knives
Dancers with knives in their mouths

Dancing on a bed of wooden nails, with pots on her head
Those pots may be stuck together but you try getting up on a bed of wooden nails!

Folk dancer with pots on her head
Dancer with pots

swirl
swirl

Sway
sway

Dance into the night
Dance into the night!

12 comments:

Panfusine said...

love the last pic with the skirts swirling!!.. PS: what was on the menu?

Indu said...

Those are some stunning pics...!!!

Miri said...

Lovely lovely pics which capture the essence of the place! Personally though, I thought it was a bit too touristy for our liking.

Indian Food Rocks said...

Niv, the meal was wonderful! It's coming up in another post, hopefull soon!

Indu, thanks!

Miri, you don't like melas? It was just like any other mela, with one difference: no beggars or the threat of pickpockets, and we paid for most of the entertainment at the gate.

We had a wonderful time! It was guilt-free and we were able to enjoy traditional folk art just by wandering around the little faux village.

Desisoccermom said...

Those are lovely. I was always a sucker for those colorful, voluminous skirts and you captured them perfectly. :)

john k.Tas. said...

Manisha, interesting photoes, thankyou. but is this an indication that too many people in India are going ' potty ', or are the pretty ladies training for a new Olympic sport revolving around neck muscle strength ? or is it a cute way of getting a sore head without drinking alcohol ? it's a worry ! regards

Inji Pennu said...

Wow. Is it an organised event ?

notyet100 said...

Brought bck memories

NC said...

Brought back soooo many happy memories,thanks for sharing these pics!

simsim said...

I can't wait to hear about the meal. I've visited and eaten there and remember a porridge that was served with gur and ghee (or perhaps white butter). Please, please tell me you know what the grain/grains in that porridge were. I will always long for it and would love to be able to recreate it here.

Shobha said...

This place is amazing .. I have been there a few years ago.. and the food that we got to eat there was awesome!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Desisoccermom, thanks! I had one of those skirts at one time. It is such a thrill to twirl around in them!

John, ha! ha! The true art lies in balancing those pots on one's head. These pots looked like they were fused or stuck together. Even then, it's still an art according to me ;-)

Inji, it's a 'faux village' that is set up every night at a resort called Chokhi Dhani. I believe there is one in Pune, too.

notyet100, I'm glad! BTW, when will you be 100? ;-)

NC, you're very welcome!

simsim, I hope to have a post soon. Life has taken all sorts of different twists and turns in the past couple of months, keeping me away from here. The porridge that you speak of was possibly badam halwa, which you could make from almond meal. The one we were served had crushed black pepper and edible gum. I'm looking for a recipe, too!

Shobha, I would love to go back, too!