Tapori’s Day Off…

…

The 11^th day from Ganesh Charuthy most of Sarvajanik Ganesh idols are immersed into Arabian sea. India’ economical capital, Mumbai comes to a halt at that day. The ever-working city, Mumbai takes break from its routine hard life and celebrates the day. Shopkeeper shut their shops early, people reach their home early and most of schools remain off. Day is not declared as official government holiday, but it is counted by most of Mumbaikars as half-holiday, unofficially official.

 Big Ganesh Idols were on their way towards Arabian sea, accompanied by their hosts, with blaring noisy music system and flashy lightings. Several political parties and associations set their make-shift reception counters, along the road side to greet the Ganesh idol processions. They also have blaring loud speakers, playing Bollywood songs vociferously.  It’s always competition among political counters to get highest exposure and attention of public by loudest music.

Under loud celebrations, one boy was dancing on the road, crazily. That boy was not part of any   Ganesh Mandal or political party. He was just a common boy, enjoying the gift of free music. He was dancing on the road, methodically on the music and capturing attention of passing-by people and standing crowd. He was accompanied by some of his friends, who used to join him in dancing intermittently, but boy was kind of avid dancer, continually shaking his body on loud music tunes.

For some, he looked as crazy drunkard dancer, for few he was entertainer and for rest of the crowd he was no more than moving article. His dance is considered as Tapori dance. Tapori dance doesn’t require any class room training. Any one, with liberating senses, can Tapori dance and enjoy. It’s originated from streets and slums of India. Tapori dance is relaxing, frivolous and unorganized. Only requirement is matching Tapori song. From acting veteran Bhagwan( albela fame) , Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachhan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapur,  most of Bollywood Stars have used Tapori dance to secure their place in Common Indian’s heart. It’s requirement.

Our Tapori dancer has charged with Time. More and More Ganesh idols were passing and music were becoming louder and louder, charging our Tapori dancer even more. In frenzy, he swung his shirt off in the air… For spectators, he was  just a nutcase., a Tapori..

Gopal was from small town near to Vishakhapatnam(AP). His father was very poor and when Gopal turned 14, he was sent to Mumbai to work as waiter at Udipi Restaurant. As Gopal could not speak Hindi, he was been given very dull work: To serve water to customers. His job is stand with try full of water glasses and whenever some new customer arrives, Gopal rush to him and serve water. There are other senior waiters who will take care of food order. Gopal is specially reserved for serving water only, day in and night out.

Whole day, Gopal used to fill the empty glasses and dump it on table for food-eaters. Since last two years, Gopal was doing the same tedious work again and again. To his bad luck, his hotel is situated at centre of the city and hence quite busy with customers all the day, leaving very few moments to rest.

Gopal could not visit his home-town for first 3 years as per his employee contract.  Gopal’s day used to start at 7.00 AM for breakfast customers. Food orders changes with time.. breakfast, lunch and dinner at night but for Gopal, glasses of water is the only option, regardless of time. Fill the empty glasses with water, stand at corner, customer arrives, rush to him/her, dump the glass and go back to the corner… wait till next customer. Same routine he has followed entire day, entire month, entire year… 24X7X365… Gopal never bothered whether customer has drunk water or not ! His job was to serve and he was serving. Gopal served water to various types of customers.. smiling, rude, confused, angry faces, critical... .Many eyes looked at Gopal during the day, but none of them have noticed emptiness of his eyes.

Initially Gopal used to dream that once he will learn the language, he will also serve various food items.. food items with various colours, smell and taste.. But monotony of Gopals’ life has killed his fantasies.. Now Gopal has forgotten his expectations from his life.. His life has been prisoner of few glasses… All the visuals of his life..sunrise, sunset, sea, rain, flowers, sky…, has limited just to a glass of water..

Today was different day.. today was Ganesh visarjan day.. Gopal’s hotel has to be closed by 2 PM as Ganesh-visarjan processions will start. During entire year, Gopal has waited for this day. In whole year, today was his day. He has decided that today he will drink and dance.. Dance like never before. He can dance today on the road, on the ground, under sky anywhere.... because today is Ganesh Virsajan day.. !! Today is the day to unleash energies… He has decided that today he will dance to break the dullness of his life and numbness of his fantasies. Today he will dance to realize that he is human, and not machine. Today he will dance to celebrate his life.. Today he will dance, to cherish his existence…

Hotel closed and Gopal came on road with new clothes. He danced amidst people, he danced amidst rain, he danced amidst loud music.. He was so engrossed, that he could feel his surroundings until he dashes on somebody.. Regardless of music, he just kept dancing on his steps.. In a way, He has reached to state of Nirwana, mental place of complete bliss and peace. … In Buddhism, nirvāna is the peaceful state of mind that is free from craving, anger, and other afflicting states.  People visit Ashrams, use thousands of rupees to please their guru.. only to get touch of Nirwana.. to understand the meaning of complete unity between conscious and unconscious, between knowing and unknowing. Our Gopal has reached that level of complete unity, without any spiritual guru and just by dancing Tapori dance. This is only for today, because tomorrow again he has to serve water glasses…

Regds

vadan