Japanese National Teaches Rajasthani Folk Dance and songs in Tokyo

A Japanese national after learning Rajasthani folk dance and songs started teaching the Rajasthani songs and dance in Tokyo.

Jaisalmer: Music and dance are woven into the tapestry of human experience, transcending language and cultural barriers to connect us on a deeper level. Giving an example to society, a woman, Mayumi aka Madhu from Japan has started giving Rajasthani traditional folk song and dance classes in Tokyo after learning it in Rajasthan.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Madhu said that she came to Rajasthan for the first time in 2013 and got immersed in Rajasthani culture. She changed her name to 'Madhu', stayed in Jaisalmer till 2015, and learned Rajasthani traditional folk songs and dance styles. Then she returned to Japan and started providing folk dance classes in Tokyo.

Madhu has also performed in various events at the Indian Embassy in Japan and participated in multiple events of Rajasthani culture. She further stated that 11 years ago she had watched Kalbelia dance in a movie and developed a curiosity to learn the dance form. “I saw Rajasthan's famous artist Asha Sapera of Jodhpur performing Kalbelia dance for the first time on social media and was greatly impressed by her. Then I managed to contact her and asked her to learn the Kalbelia dance,” Madhu added.

Madhu said that she considers Asha Sapera as her guru. Whenever she came to Rajasthan, she used to make videos of various dances and folk songs and take them to Japan and practice them there herself. She learned Ghoomar as well. She said that she visits Rajasthan once a year and feels very glad.

Every Sunday in Japan, I teach my students to read and sing the lyrics of Rajasthani folk songs and dance and try to know their meaning as well, she said. Currently, she has been teaching 20 students. In the 10th edition of the Rajasthan International Film Festival organised by the Riff Film Club in Jaipur, Madhu performed the Rajputi Ghoomar dance.

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