AWAITED MOMENT 🤩😍

When I was a child I started my dancing life as a dancing student. Since 2001 I have had a chance to learn Sri Lankan traditional dance styles. Also I learned contemporary dance styles, different dance style forms from other cultures as well. When I was about 14 years old, I wanted to learn Indian Dance styles. As a result, I got a special opportunity to learn one of the North Indian dance forms; Kathak.

In 2011 our teacher started Kathak dance classes for us. After the "Saraswati Pooja" we all started to learn how to take the first step in kathak style. Without missing any day, me and my sister attended Kathak practices eagerly. It's a very calm dance style. It's a dance form basically based on footwork. Normally, bells which are named as "Ghungroo'' are tied to the feet of Kathak dancers. Indian Kathak artists give their effort to practise and improve their skills in different patterns of footwork. Me and my sister watched so many kathak videos to improve our  ability. Still both of us are interested in watching the videos of Indian Kathak experts and legends.

After around 1 year our teacher informed us about a good news. Wow! It was the news that we mostly awaited. That was about our "Ghungroo Pooja'' ceremony. She told us that it was the time to wear bells. Me and my sister were full of happiness. As a Kathak student, wearing ghungroo is a great opportunity. Before the Ghungroo Pooja our teacher traveled India to buy ghungroo for us. After she returned to Sri Lanka she taught us how to string our own ghungroo step by step. 

The day that we waited for arrived. Early in the morning I dressed and prepared  for the Ghungroo Pooja with my sister. It was held on our Kalayathanaya premises according to Hindu religious rites. It was done by a Hindu priest. First of all we worshipped in front of the statues of gods and goddesses because this dance culture is attached with the Indian culture and tradition. We went to our teachers and they tied up bells to our legs. After that teachers blessed all of us. Me and my sister were full of happiness. After the Ghungroo Pooja, we all finished the ceremony by showing our basic Kathak dance talents in front of our parents. It was our first Kathak dance act that we danced with ghungroo for the first time.