AT BIKANIR.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15115, 28 December 1921, Page 3

AT BIKANIR.

REMARKABLE ENTERTAINMENT. PRINCE OF WALES’ VISIT. DELHI, Dec. 11. At Bikanir, on the evening of his visit, tho Royal party ascended to She upper courts ard of the fi ort to see dancing and hear singing by a very large troupe of nautch girls. On all sides rose the terracotta walls to a silhouette of minarets against the stars, made'pale by contrast with myriad coloured illuminartions shimmering in many running devices.

In this Arabian Nights scene entered a great company of dancers, who ranged themselves in a doubV rdw facing the Prince. "Ail wore robes, heavily brocaded with gold, transparent head shawls, and massive gold armlets' up to the elbow. Some were mere children, but all had the same easy grace of movement, clearly occasioned by the fact that they walked and danced from the hips. To the accompaniment of the barbaric strains of a native band" these four-score nautchis suddenly burst into a wild song of wel come. At intervals pairs of girls tripped forward and executed a little prancing dance of th e most primitive character. Then followed a juggler, with a gilded bandeau round his head who, after grotesque contortions of salutation, proceeded to dance on swords, spikes, and saws, previously submitted for the inspection of the spectators. Tho nautch girls gave a descriptive fantasia of the battle of Golconda, beating the rhythm with long chop-stacks, and a very unmelodious epic describing the Soldier Prince’s departure for the war. The juggler returned, and danced on a tray brimming with water, without spilling it. A bent old man played a long spidery instrument called a “bin," tho oldest musical instrument of India (only three remaining in existence), producing very low harp-

liko notes.' Then with real enthusiasm and the maximum of discord the whole nautch chorus plunged into “God Save the King,,” specially done into Marwari for the occasion. Tfio Prince remained until midnight, fascinated by this quaint native entertainment.