So I’ve found a whole new way to make a spectacle of myself! My new video series is called HOW TO INDIA. It’s a (hopefully comical) instructional video series for foreigners living life in India.
My first video was about how to Bucket Bathe. Basically, taking a bath with a bucket instead of a shower or bathtub.
My latest video (my second one) is about how to safely enjoy Ganpati as a foreign woman, with som bonus dance moves at the end (make sure you don’t miss it!).
Click here to watch!
So, how does one safely dance in a crowded, sweaty, male-dominated procession on the last day of Ganpati?
Ganpati is a Hindu festival which culminates in a procession called Visarjan, where the Ganpati Idol is immersed in water. A lot of families keep a Ganpati Idol in their house and submerge it in water at home. However, the large community Ganpati idols are ceremoniously paraded down the streets and taken to the water (the river in Pune, the ocean in Mumbai).
Processions are amazing to see and hear, but they are extremely crowded and you need to be careful.
Going out Safely: If you’re like me, and you stand out from your typical Indian crowd, you can draw unwanted attention to yourself by dancing.
- Tip 1: Go out with a group.
- Strength in numbers means Fun in numbers.
- Tip 2: Girl Power
- Some Ganpati processions have sections for the women to dance in. This is intended to protect the women from unwanted touching and cat calling. If you’re a woman, feel free to jump in and make some friends!
- Tip 3: Pack light
- Take only the cash you need for the night and some ID. Make sure your phone is fully charged in case you get lost!
- Tip 4: Wear a Disguise.
- I find that wearing a hoodie worked really well for me last year.
- If you want to go all-out, you can buy a mask. Nobody will look at you funny on this day, I swear.
Now make sure you watch the video on youtube to see my recommended dance-moves. There is also some additional footage that shows what to expect during a Ganpati procession.
If you want to learn how to take a bucket bath… well, I have a video for that too.
Click to watch!
Paula McGlynn 