Rana Dancers
Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell, Destination Expert.
You know the scenario: the heart sinks; here we go again - another phoney folkloric experience for the tourists. You stare into your glass of beer and hope it's a short one.
But this turns out to be one of those rare, spirit-soaring moments of tear-inducing poignancy. I came across these three girls a year ago and employed them to perform at a birthday party we organised at Samode Palace about an hour from Jaipur. The girls are Ranas and were born and raised in a small village in rural Rajasthan but trained in classical dance in Jaipur; their dancing is beautifully measured, delicate, controlled and is rooted in centuries of Rana tradition.
I know we bang on at c+l about minimising the negative impact of tourism - and it's wonderful to see this example of its positive effects.
Without the sensitive conversion of palaces and hunting lodges to attract high-end tourists to rural Rajasthan, there would have been no living for these ‘Rana' girls who danced for us - and so no inducement for their families to have spent scarce money on them to study, train and practise their ancient art.
A culture is nothing if it does not live and the joy and passion of these girls, as they keep their traditions alive, is clear to see in their eyes and on their faces.
