Saffron flags, a dhol-tasha pathak, and an orchestra with loudspeakers marked the procession that wound its way through the bylanes of Jogeshwari East on Sunday morning. It passed through Meghwadi, IT Colony Road, Shyam Nagar, and behind Radhabai Chawl — locales mentioned in the Srikrishna Commission inquiry report on the 1992-93 riots.
(Left) Rahim Mubarak Tamboli with his father Mubarak Babalal Tamboli
But the riots were not even a memory for the processionists, most of whom were born after 1993. As they passed through a Muslim locality, the music was silenced on the instructions of Shivaji Khairnar, head of the Shyam Nagarcha Raja Ganeshotsav Mandal. “It’s Muharram, they are in mourning,” explained the 43-year-old, who observes a fast of one day during every Ramzan.
Leading the procession alongside Khairnar was Rahim Mubarak Tamboli, who came up with the idea to mark Ashadhi Ekadashi with a dindi. Ashadhi Ekadashi, which fell on Sunday, marks the culmination of the 21-day Pandharpur Wari, or pilgrimage.
“Many devotees can’t go to Pandharpur on this day,” said Rahim Sir, as he is known in the area. “I thought why not bring a sense of the Pandharpur celebration here? I had already done a number of dindi performances across Mumbai and received so much appreciation that I took my troupe to Pandharpur to offer thanks.”
Rahim Mubarak Tamboli along with his troupe from the Rhythm Dance Academy participate in the Pandhari Wari Dindi. PICS/SATEJ SHINDE
Founder of the Rhythm Dance Academy, Rahim Sir, 37, has been choreographing dances for every social occasion for the past 10 years. Hindu festivals form a large part of these events. A majority of his 140 students, spread across four city branches, are Hindu girls.
Last year, invited by Khairnar, they staged a Holi event in Jogeshwari East. The “flash mob” during the Ganpati procession, first introduced by the Shyam Nagarcha Raja Ganpati Mandal and the Mandal’s theme song were both his concepts.
“All this doesn’t make me any less of a Muslim, I arranged for my parents to go on Haj this year,” said Rahim, recalling how difficult it was to pursue dance. “We tried to dissuade him,” admitted his father, Mubarak Tamboli, “but he wouldn’t listen. And now that he’s made a name for himself, we too are happy.” Many of Rahim’s students came up to touch Tamboli’s feet as he quietly watched the ringan — a circular dance performed in Pandharpur.
It took a lot of research to perfect the ringan, said Rahim. “I didn’t just watch videos; I also spoke to people in Pandharpur about what could be included.” Every step was authentic, confirmed Ganesh Kadam, head of the Sainath Seva Samiti Trust. Rahim had choreographed a special dance for the Samiti’s annual Ram Navmi procession.
As the procession halted outside his shakha, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Anant Nar expressed happiness that a Muslim had volunteered to organise the dindi. “We welcome such participation. Some Hindus wear the cross; I go to masjids when invited. That doesn’t mean we change our religion. As our party chief has said, our Hindutva is all about humanity.”
The mothers of the children who participated in the dindi echoed his sentiment. “We feel proud that a Muslim is carrying on our traditions. We don’t see Rahim as a Muslim, he’s a good human being, not just a teacher but part of our family,” they said.
While Rahim believes that dance and music have no religion, he was initially unsure how Jogeshwari’s many temples and Ganpati mandals would react to his dindi proposal.
When he asked Khairnar to make the suggestion on his behalf, Khairnar refused, insisting Rahim do it himself. “A dindi proposed by Rahim Mubarak sends a powerful message,” said Khairnar, “especially in times when people are being assaulted because of their faith or language.”
As Sunday’s event showed, Rahim’s fears were unfounded.
