Click to play videoWestern Maharashtra: Mumbai's famous dance bars were banned in 2005 by the Maharashtra state government on the pretext of protecting the youth from its alleged corrupt influence.
But right in its backyard another form of dance bars is flourishing - Maharashtra's famous folk dance form Lavani is now being used as a front to provide entertainment of a different kind.
Dotted near the highways are kala kendras which are supposed to be centres for performing arts but the reality is far from artistic.
Licensed to stage traditional performances between 2030 hrs, IST and 2330 hrs, IST, these art centres degenerate to provide entertainment of a different kind as the evening progresses. Private rooms are discreetly opened up for baithaks.
In a sting operation, CNN-IBN visited one such baithak just after midnight, 40 minutes after the official closing time.
The CNN-IBN team was let in and asked to choose a ‘party’ – an euphemism for an exercise in which the dancers are paraded and "patrons of art" make a choice.
The team is then shown the rooms where the performances will take place.
A sum of Rs 1,500 was paid and beer starts to flow while the girls start to groove to a very commercial beat.
It was confirmed that this was not a one-off incident since the story was much the same at two more kala kendras.
The only difference between the centres was that the girls seemed to get more prosperous as the rates touched Rs 3,000.
But not for nothing. In return, patrons get air-conditioned rooms and the time limit is ignored as well.
And when the team finally learns what kala kendras are meant for, they are told that young girls are trained there in the traditional art of Lavani.
The girls say there are no takers for this dance form anymore and life must go on.
“We have to do this work for our living,” says a Lavani dancer.
“People want this. It's also our source of livelihood” says a Lavani trainer, Rajshri.
Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil has achieved success in weeding out the dance bars from Mumbai but he gives no clear answers when quizzed about the happenings in Western Maharashtra, a traditional stronghold of the Congress and the NCP.
“We will take action when we receive a complaint,” says Patil.
But till such action is taken, the kala kendras continue to flourish fuelled by generous customers and the need of the dancers to achieve the next level of lifestyle.
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