The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-12-15
Dancing Girls from India

There arrived recently IN New York
q troupe of dancing girls, musicians and
j%ugglers from India. There are fifteen
persons in the company, five women and
ten men. e. he women are some OF the
principal performers of India, and be-
long to the only class Of women in that
country who are taught 10 read and
write. The oldest is called Bhooribai,
and is twenty-siX years old. She is one
of the principal dancers. Sahebjhan,
the chief dancer, is eighteen, and is one
of the greatest performers in India.
These two belong to the famous temple
dancers. No Maharaiah ever entertains
a guest without giving n of these
dancers. The Nautch dance, as it is
called, is also q feature of all religious
and holiday festivals. The other
women are Vageirbai, age fifteen; Ala
Bundi, aged fourteen, and Oondabai, the
youngest, age twelve. These women
live in different parts OF India. They
speak no English, and are the first
Mohammedans who ever came TO the
United States from India. The men are
Abdoolally Esmai)jee, manager of a
Bombay theater and manager of this
company during their visit; Goolam-
hoosan, O~omerkhan; two Hindoos-the
only ones in the company-by the name
of Balaya; Imambarkha, Khajoolalla.
Subrung and Moobarie. Oomerkhan lie
one Of the best of Indian jugglers. Ons
ofthe Balayas is q knife player. He Jug
giles with long knives, keeping q large
number circling about his head at one
time. Subrung is q very fine singer.
r., |, r11,o 20 a Cpoly0 chairman Hp
brings with him two cobra di capellos,
q scorpion and a little animal called q
mongoose, which is used to stir up the
snakes. it being very hostile to them.
One of the Balayas cooks food Tor both,
as Hindoos will not eat Mohammedan
food nor will Mohammedans eat Hindoo
food. These men never dance, but they
| sing and play upon their native lnstru-
ments while the women 60 through
their peculiar movements.
The beauty OF these women is a mat
ter of taste. In India they are consid-
cred very handsome. Sahebjhan is the
darkest, but is greatly admired in her
own country. Three of the women are
married. They all bear themselves
modestly. They wear 4 satin vest which
is fastened behind. They wear also
satin trousers reaching nearly to the
ankles. Over all they throw the
"Sahri," q long gauze cloak They
wear rings on their fingers and toes,
strings Of pearls about their ears and
ankIets and nose-rings OF solid silver,
They wear no diamonds, as these stones
are not fashionable in India. 1t was
very difficult to get these people together
and to persuade them to leave their
country. Just before starting they con.
ceived the idea that they were coming
to America to be sacrificed ut o festi'
val, and almost refused to come. They
were gathered from the neighborhooC
of Allahbad and some other Indian
cities, where there are great bathing
tanks. Their chief duty at home is tx
participate in festivals. The first rank
Of these women is never permitted K
leave the temples without the permission
of the priests. They all reverence a.
their special patron and protcctress tn
holy mother, Bhowanee, who is sup
posed to be the most beautiful dancer il
the paradise Of the Hindoo religion
Their dances do not resemble wha
Americans call dances. They consist o
1.-the and graceful whirling, marvclou
in its quickness. and also of mysti
weaving and subtle pantomimic contor
lions explained by their songs. Thei
dances have u meaning. and the senti
ment of them is always made plain
They cover a wide range of subjects
They have on e dance which represent
a railway train, and the CHATTER of tn
engine is heard all through it. The bes
of these women are chosen from tn
. highest caste of Indians; the next j
rank are of the Sudra families, or mer
| canti,e caste.