Content deleted Content added
GreenC bot (talk | contribs) Rescued 1 archive link. Wayback Medic 2.5 |
m Disambiguating links to Grant Road (link changed to Grant Road (South Mumbai, India)) using DisamAssist. |
||
| (18 intermediate revisions by 11 users not shown) | |||
Line 3:
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
'''Dance bar''' is a term used in [[India]] to refer to bars in which adult entertainment in the form of dances by relatively well-covered women are performed for male patrons in exchange for cash. Dance bars used to be present only in [[Maharashtra]], but later spread across the country, mainly in cities. Dance bars are a flirtatious world of fantasy catering to the need of feeling of being wanted.<ref name=dance4>Rashmi Uday Singh, 2003, [https://books.google.com/books?id=rutBoeZOzl4C
Dance bars were banned in the state of Maharashtra in August 2005,<ref name=toi2011/> which was first struck down by the [[Bombay High Court]] on 12 April 2006, and the verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2013.<ref name=":0"/> The Maharashtra government banned dance bars again in 2014 by an [[Local ordinance|Ordinance]], but this too was found "unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court in October 2015, allowing Mumbai dance bars to reopen.<ref name="auto"/>
==History==
The first dance bars were in [[Khalapur]] in the [[Raigad district]] of Maharashtra, in the early 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |author=Quaid Najmi |
==Bar setting==
===Clothing===
Bar dancing in India, markedly differs from erotic dancing and nightclub dance in the Western world and some parts of the Eastern world. In a way, it is more similar to [[bellydancing]] performed as entertainment. The dancers, known as [[bar girl]]s, remain significantly clothed<ref name=scot2005>{{cite news |title=Dance bars outlawed in Mumbai |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=391282005 |publisher=[[The Scotsman]] |date=14 April 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060111074055/http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=391282005 |archive-date=11 January 2006 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> throughout the performance, showing at most some [[midriff]], part of the back, and bare arms. Therefore, the erotic aspect of bar dancing is mostly achieved through suggestion. In [[Maharashtra]], bar dancer attire is often ethnic Indian ([[sari]] or [[lehenga]]-[[choli]]), whereas in some other places, such as [[Bangalore]], it may include Western garb. The bar dances are often compared to ''[[mujra]]s'', wherein women would dance to live [[classical Indian music]], traditionally performed by [[tawaif]] ([[courtesan]]s) during the [[Mughal era]].<ref name=sfg>{{cite news |title=Prostitution beckons India's former bar girls |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/26/MNGJ9HSC6R1.DTL&feed=rss.news |website=San Francisco Chronicle |date=26 March 2006 |first=Paul |last=Watson |access-date=13 April 2006 |archive-date=24 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524172828/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/26/MNGJ9HSC6R1.DTL&feed=rss.news |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=toi2005mujra>{{cite news |title=It's time for mujra re for bar girls |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-11-01/india/27855743_1_bar-girls-bar-dancers-mujra |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103111148/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-11-01/india/27855743_1_bar-girls-bar-dancers-mujra |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=1 November 2005 }}</ref>
===Dancer protocol===
{{Quote box |quote = The dance, per se, is not
|width=25%
|quoted = 1
|source =—Deputy Police Commissioner of Mumbai in 2006.<ref name=sfg/> }}
Bar girls dance to [[Bollywood]]<ref name=bbc2006>{{cite news |title=Court strikes down dance bar ban |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4902934.stm |work=BBC News |date=12 April 2006 |access-date=13 April 2006 |archive-date=19 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819191945/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4902934.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Indipop]] numbers on a colourfully lit dance floor, in the central focus of a dance bar's seating arrangement.<ref name="protocol">{{cite web |url=http://www.dancewithshadows.com/dance_bars_mumbai.asp |title=Dance bars and bar girls of Mumbai |publisher=Dancewithshadows.com |date=16 July 2005 |access-date=29 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331180018/http://www.dancewithshadows.com/dance_bars_mumbai.asp |archive-date=31 March 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Patrons sit in chairs lined up against the walls of the room. The dancing is minimalist kind and features no pelvic thrusting and bosom heaving seen typical Bollywood dance, nor any belly-dancing or suggestive gyrations.<ref name="expressindia.indianexpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/news/fullstory.php?newsid=45426|title=Mumbai no bar, Morality bar bar
===Income===
The patron showers his favoured dancer with [[paper money|currency note]]s. He does this either by handing over nominal denominations of cash (10 or 20 [[Indian rupee|rupee]] notes), or through an act known as "scratching", where he holds a wad of currency notes above his dancer and rubs notes off the wad down upon the dancer. In some cases, he would even [[garland]] the dancer with rupees. Many bar dancers are able to make hundreds of rupees a night in this way, thanks to generous, well-off, and possibly [[inebriated]] patrons. At the end of the day, each girl's earnings are counted and split in some predetermined proportion between the dance bar and the girls. The dance bars also make money through the sale of alcohol and [[snacks]]. Most women earned up to {{INRConvert|10000}} a month, this attracted women from all over India and even as far away as Nepal and Bangladesh, especially as dance bars was considered by them as a safer way to make a living, than working in the Mumbai's red-light district.<ref name=scot2005/>
Income depended on the popularity and status of the bar girl.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' reported that the less popular girls were given 60% of the amount showered on them. It also stated that popular girls received a monthly salary of {{INR}} 100,000–300,000, while the bar owner kept all the money showered on them.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Adamant-on-dance-bar-ban-Maharashtra-govt-to-file-review-petition/Article1-1093638.aspx |title=
===Social and economic aspects===
Dance bars closed at midnight, but in 2000, the government changed the rule to permit them to stay open until 1:30 am. However, this was changed to 12:30 am, following the rape of a minor at Marine Drive, Mumbai in 2005,<ref name="indianexpress.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-price-mumbai-paid-in-8-years-since-the-dance-bar/1142723/0|title=The price Mumbai paid in 8 years since the dance bar|date=17 July 2013|publisher=Indian Express|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-date=20 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920192958/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-price-mumbai-paid-in-8-years-since-the-dance-bar/1142723/0|url-status=live}}</ref> although the rape was committed by a police constable inside a police ''chowki'' (station).<ref>{{cite
Policemen and local [[mafia|thugs]] also make money off regular ''haftas'' from the dance bars.<ref>{{cite web |author=Syed Firdaus Ashraf |url=http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/25fird.htm |title=Vote at 18, but enter dance bars only at 21 |publisher=Us.rediff.com |date=25 February 2004 |access-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=12 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312104954/http://us.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/25fird.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Dance bars serve as a meeting place for criminals, making them a hub for intelligence gathering by police.<ref name="livemint.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Politics/x7M3glLKZI62OvzILkLKgO/Dance-bars-in-Maharashtra-may-soon-reopen-after-SC-stays-ban.html|title=Maharashtra ban on dance bars unconstitutional, rules apex court|first=Makarand|last=Gadgil|date=16 July 2013|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-date=26 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826031122/http://www.livemint.com/Politics/x7M3glLKZI62OvzILkLKgO/Dance-bars-in-Maharashtra-may-soon-reopen-after-SC-stays-ban.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
Laws were enacted and court cases were filed to shut down the dance bars to advance political fortunes and curry favor with moralist public and also due to the breakdown bribery arrangements between the dance bar owners and authorities who were deeply entrenched in the sexual economy of dance bars.<ref name=dance2>Mary Evans, Clare Hemmings, Marsha Henry (2014). [https://books.google.com/books?id=sTSmBAAAQBAJ
===Notable incidents===
*Indian [[scam]]ster [[Abdul Karim Telgi]] spent nearly {{INRConvert|
*[[Matka gambling|Matka]] kingpin Suresh Bhagat's son Hitesh allegedly spent {{INRConvert|200000|year=2002}} per night for two years at dance bars.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*Samajwadi Party MLA from Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh Mahendra Singh, along with five other persons, was arrested and booked under the Anti-Prostitution Act by Goa police on 26 August 2013 following a raid at a dance bar in [[Panaji]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/up-mla-among-six-held-in-panaji-dance-bar-raid/article5065691.ece | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=U.P. MLA among six held in Panaji dance bar raid | date=28 August 2013 | access-date=19 September 2013 | archive-date=21 September 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921074338/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/up-mla-among-six-held-in-panaji-dance-bar-raid/article5065691.ece | url-status=live }}</ref> Police said they arrested Singh from a ''[[mujra]]'' party at a hotel, and six women dancers who were "rescued", were prostitutes called from Mumbai, [[Delhi]] and [[Chandigarh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/at-mundans-or-mujras-its-ok-to-watch-women-dance-sp-mla_875824.html|title=At 'mundans' or 'mujras', it's OK to watch women dance|date=11 September 2013|publisher=SP MLS|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-date=11 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011124505/http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/at-mundans-or-mujras-its-ok-to-watch-women-dance-sp-mla_875824.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Singh later told the media that he was not ashamed about the incident saying, "In [[Uttar Pradesh|UP]] and [[Bihar]], women dancers perform on every occasion. From the time of ''[[Chudakarana|mundan]]'', engagement and marriage, we have women who dance to music. Why should I be ashamed of it?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/i-am-not-ashamed-says-india-lawmaker-arrested-in-dance-bar-1.1230043|title='I am not ashamed', says India lawmaker arrested in dance bar|date=11 September 2013|publisher=IANS|access-date=19 August 2016|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055151/http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/i-am-not-ashamed-says-india-lawmaker-arrested-in-dance-bar-1.1230043|url-status=live}}</ref>
*A bar girl allegedly died during a raid of the Ellora Bar and Restaurant in Borivli, Mumbai by the Social Service (SS) branch of the Mumbai Police, around 10 pm IST on 31 August 2013. Kasturba Marg police registered an accidental death report for investigation. However, the bar management claimed that the police had assaulted a bar employee during the raid, which created panic and the bar girl died due to a heart attack. Bar owner Pravin Agrawal said that, "We have CCTV recording of the entire incident. But the police have taken every thing into their custody and even seized the mobile phones of the bar employees. They are not allowing me inside and I am unable to contact my employees."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-01/mumbai/41662087_1_bar-girl-police-raid-bar-owner | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904000954/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-01/mumbai/41662087_1_bar-girl-police-raid-bar-owner | url-status=dead | archive-date=4 September 2013 | work=[[The Times of India]] | title=Bar girl dies during police raid in Borivli | date=1 September 2013}}</ref>
Line 46:
==In popular culture==
Dance bars have been theme of several
*''[[Chandni Bar]]'', a 2001
*[[Deepika Padukone]] played the role of
==Controversies==
Dance bars were banned in the state of Maharashtra, in August 2005, with the passing of the ''Maharashtra Police (Amendment) Act, 2005''. Subsequently, the government shut down dance bars. However, many continued to flourish as late as 2011, although in a clandestine way in [[Mumbai]] and its outskirts.<ref name=toi2011>{{cite news |title=Bars may lose licence for flouting dance ban|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-22/mumbai/28624873_1_dance-bars-licence-home-minister |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054210/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-22/mumbai/28624873_1_dance-bars-licence-home-minister |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 September 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |date= 22 February 2011 }}</ref> Mumbai alone had 700 dance bars, at their peak in April 2005 when it was banned, though officially only 307 dance bars existed, the rest were illegal, while the figures for rest of the state was 650 dance bars in total. In all they employed 150,000 people, including 75,000 bar girls.<ref name=scot2005/><ref name=toi2005>{{cite news |title=Mumbai's dance bars banned too|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-04-13/india/27850185_1_dance-bars-ban-rural-areas |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103123433/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-04-13/india/27850185_1_dance-bars-ban-rural-areas |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]]|date=13 April 2005 }}</ref> These bars functioned as fronts for prostitution. After the ban was enforced, no rehabilitation program was initiated for the nightclub dancers, known as ''bar-balas''. Many moved to [[Dubai]] and other Middle Eastern countries, while others went to New Delhi, [[Chennai]] and [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]].<ref name=dna2011>{{cite news
The ban was first struck down by the [[Bombay High Court]] on 12 April 2006, and the verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court in July 2013.<ref name=":0">{{cite
The Maharashtra government banned dance bars again in 2014 by an [[Local ordinance|Ordinance]], but this too was found "unconstitutional" by the Supreme Court in October 2015, allowing Mumbai dance bars to reopen.<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34537196 |work=BBC |title=India Supreme Court allows Mumbai dance bars to reopen |date=15 October 2015 |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=1 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181101095808/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34537196 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 25 February 2004, following the raid, the Maharashtra government issued a notification restricting persons below the age of 21 from entering dance bars, discothèques and pubs. Bars violating the law would face fines and possible cancellation of licences. The ban, under the Bombay Prohibition Act, was effective from 1 April 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/25fird.htm |title=Vote at 18, but enter dance bars only at 21 |work=Rediff.com |date=26 February 2004 |access-date=29 July 2013 |archive-date=31 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331175924/http://in.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/25fird.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also==
Line 80 ⟶ 78:
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060516075118/http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews Maharashtra High Court topples dance bar ban]
{{Portal bar|Liquor|Drink|India}}
{{Prostitution in India}}
{{Alcohol in India}}
[[Category:Dance in India]]
[[Category:Nightclubs|*]]
[[Category:Culture of Mumbai]]
[[Category:Types of drinking establishment]]
| |||