Burning up the dance floor

True Story

1991

Annual Day Cultural program in our building is a stage for us teenagers to impress our secret girlfriends by showcasing our extraordinary talent. It usually has the opposite effect after the performance. But it does not stop us – next level Aashique.

Tribal dances are ceremonial dances representing the unique traditions and culture of the tribe. They are performed to mark important milestone in the tribe.

This year we had a bumper harvest. We plucked over 100 mangoes – without being caught or lathi charged by the watchman. This remarkable achievement deserved a ceremonial tribal dance.

There is absolutely no connection between the two events. We decided to do the tribal dance for the cultural program.

Sujit selected Tribal Dance song by 2 Unlimited for our dance show. Just like in the music video, we thought it would be cool to use the torch flame in the dance.

Yogesh, Ratish and Sujit are natural and awesome dancers. Yogesh choreographed the whole dance

“Jitu, you carry the flame torch in the background for few seconds.” said Yogesh. Clearly letting me know what he thought of my dancing skills.

We began practicing. My part was simple. Carry the torch in the background. But as we started practising, my ego was playing with me “Just carry the torch? Really? What impression will I make on my secret girlfriend?”

“Kuch karna padega.” I ruminated.

I decide I will do the spit the fire act within the Tribal Dance.

I watched few videos and learnt how to spit fire. I figured the steps involved.

1- Light the flame torch.

2- Put some kerosene in mouth.

3- Keep the flame torch about 2 feet away from the face.

4- Spit the kerosene on the top end of the torch.

5- Push the fire flame torch away from your face.

6- You have a fireball!

I practiced it a few times and felt confident to pull it off on the stage.

It’s about 6 PM and the set-up for the cultural night is ready. A temporary stage is made of bamboos and satin cloth, there is a sound system, 500 chairs for building spectators have been put up.

The function starts with kids performing the song and dance show, fashion show etc. After an hour so, Arun – our dynamic emcee – announces

“We now we have the much awaited Tribal Dance”.

He demands the people in the first 3 rows to go back. He did not want the fire on them. Rakesh has arranged for two buckets of water just incase of fire emergency. Rakesh is our water boy!  

Music starts. Yogesh, Ratish and Sujit make an entry. Audience go berserk with the music and fantastic dance moves. Public joins with thunderous cheering and clapping.

After 2 mins, it’s my turn to come on stage. I am nervous and in panic I put extra kerosene in my mouth. I end up swallowing some. I enter with my fantastic moves. Dictionary defines it plain walking, which actually I am talented at.

On the cue of fireball lyric in the song, it’s time for me to spit fire. I move towards front of the stage. Instead of going all the way to the edge of the stage, I am 3 feet inside.

I put the torch in front of my face. Rakesh shouts at the top of his voice “Jitu, aage aa”

I cannot hear him as the music is at full blast. But I am great at lip reading. I clearly read it as “Spit the Fire.”

I spit the entire kerosene in my mouth with full force – at the centre of the flame. A huge blazing ball of fire is formed.

“woaaahhh” crowd bursts with excitement.

I push the torch – now fireball torch – away. Too late. The huge lethal ball of fire starts soaring up. The satin cloth stage roof is 10 feet above. The sight of the big ball of fire 1 feet in front of my eyes was scary. I feel the heat wave on my face.

Crowd scream with joy and excitement.

As the roaring fireball soars, all of us see that it is going to hit the satin cloth roof.

Crowd goes silent in that split second.

Every single soul watching is super tensed. All eyes on the fireball.

Will our performance literally burn up the dance floor?  The fireball is gets closer to the cloth and bamboo roof….

And fireball just escapes the roof and then disappears in few seconds.

Phew! Tension mein I almost peed all the kerosene I had swallowed. People start breathing again.

We refocus and complete our dance.

As we are stepping down, Rakesh said “Jitu, you almost did Hanuman burning Lanka”. I just smiled and said “never again. No fire activity.”

Cut to 1998.

Clemson University. Diwali Night Program.

One more chance to show-off my dance moves. We – Radha and I – decide to Indo-western fusion dance on the Rangeela song. Radha is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer. I learnt my dance moves at the Ganapati Visarjans on the streets of Anushaktinagar.

I saw an opportunity to become the heartthrob of Clemson by performing the ….

the fireball act !

I decide to add the fireball act to our fusion dance.   

It’s almost mid-night. It’s time for a rehearsal of the fireball act. I couldn’t find kerosene in Clemson. I go to the gas station and fill the petrol in an empty coke can (which by the way is illegal). Thank God, nobody caught me. Now, I have the can of Petrol – high quality, high octane, highly combustible petrol.

Nilesh and Abhijeet join me. We are in the drama hall for the rehearsal.

I am supremely confident. I take petrol in my mouth. I hold the torch 2 feet from my face. I spit the petrol on the fire.

And a big ball of fire is formed in split second. It is sun right in your face!

I find out Petrol is 10 times more combustible and catches fire quickly. Before I could push the torch away from my face, the big fire ball grows even larger. Bigger than one in Ajanta. And this time it is not 1 feet away, it is in my face…

I had fire on my face. Yes, I feel the burn. I am feeling the heat.

I immediately throw the torch away and start rubbing my face to put off the menacing flames. Nilesh takes off his woollen jacket and wraps on my face. The fire on my face is extinguished. I slowly remove the jacket.

Nilesh is staring at me. His eyes are almost popping out. He is terrified as if he is watching a horror movie.

“Kya hua?” I ask while I am in excruciating pain.

“Jitu, chal hospital. Fast. Abhijeet gaadi nikaal”

“Kya hua?”

“Jitu, you have burn under your chin. Your eyebrows are gone. Your eyelashes are gone. Your front portion of my hair is burnt.”

We rush to the hospital.

Doctor calmly “What happened?”

Nilesh – “A fire-cracker misfired and ended up on his face “. Doctor is confused. But she decides to take care of wounds first.

Abhijeet takes care of completing the formalities. Doctor cleans up my face with Dettol and the applies some paste like burnol equivalent. I am shouting in pain.

After completing putting some bandages, she says “please take complete rest for next one week.”

We reached home at 2 am.

Nilesh said, “Bhai, you are extremely lucky. You escaped the whole thing with minor burns. Forget about your dance program”.

I was silent.

Next day morning, the pain had subsided significantly.

The organizers of Diwali Night and Radha come to meet me.

“Radha will you do the dance alone?” asked Abhijeet.

“Yes, I will.”

Remember Sachin getting hit by Waqar Younis?!

Apun bhi Sachin style bola “Mai Nachega”.

Lot of arguments followed. In the end, I convinced them that I will be OK.

We performed together as planned, Ofcourse the fire act was dropped. It went well – thanks to Radha.

I still wonder sometimes, if I didn’t have the fireball accident, would I have been the heartthrob of Clemson.