Story Brunch
Representational Image
Stage dances, commonly referred to as arkestra—a localized distortion of the word orchestra—have become integral to weddings, receptions, and other ceremonies in many villages across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. These arkestra dancers are often invited to perform at political rallies organized by local leaders such as Pradhans and Mukhiyas, aiming to captivate large audiences.
While arkestra dance might fall under the category of art and culture, its current form has evolved into something much more sinister. There are countless harrowing stories of both sexual and mental exploitation faced by the young women performing on these stages. Over time, these performances have become increasingly vulgar, with a growing demand for nude arkestra performances and explicit displays. This shift has led to a significant degradation of the arkestra dancer profession, causing them to face severe social stigma. With the rise of social media, videos labeled as ‘arkestra video’, ‘sexy arkestra’, ‘Bhojpuri arkestra’, and ‘arkestra night’ have become viral sensations, yet these dancers rarely receive societal respect as legitimate artists. Only a few manage to break into the Bhojpuri, Angika, or Magahi music industries, highlighting the harsh reality that most face an uphill battle for recognition.
These arkestra dancers often endure harassment and abuse during their performances. Despite the presence of barriers around many stages, some individuals climb onto the stage to kiss or grope the dancers, targeting their private parts. This molestation occurs in front of hundreds of people, with the crowd often cheering such behavior, as it is wrongly considered part of the dancer’s job to entertain the audience by any means. Disturbingly, many of these girls are minors.
How do so many girls end up in a profession that lacks self-respect and social esteem? Are they willingly joining these arkestra groups, or are they being manipulated and coerced into performing? The truth is grim and complex.
StoryBrunch exposes the dark and ugly side of arkestra performances, revealing tales of exploitation, harassment, manipulation, molestation, rape, and thuggery. Most of these girls come from extremely poor backgrounds in states with low socio-economic indicators, such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha and a few from Nepal and Bangladesh. Allegedly, there are organized rackets that lure these vulnerable girls with false promises of love, marriage, or job opportunities in different cities. Once these girls are emotionally involved and become physically intimate with their supposed lovers, they are blackmailed with videos of their private moments. Some willingly move to different cities with these men, hoping for a better life.
Upon arrival, they are often sold to arkestra teams either directly or indirectly through middlemen, for amounts ranging from Rupees 5,000 to 50,000. Many are raped by the men who deceived them, the middlemen, and sometimes even by members of the arkestra groups themselves. They are beaten repeatedly until they agree to perform on stage. Once these girls are isolated from their families, hometowns, and states, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to return home due to the stigma attached. Over time, they adjust to their new environment and start performing as stage dancers. This scenario reveals a full-fledged human trafficking system that supplies labor for the thriving arkestra industry. However, it’s important to note that some of these girls do choose to perform, driven by the need to financially support their impoverished families.
Reports suggest that illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants are also involved in these human trafficking networks, often attempting to convert the girls they have entrapped.
Many of these performers are also coerced into working as call girls or prostitutes by the organizers. There are secretive, closed-door events organized by individuals or small groups where some of these girls are forced to perform. Most of these are nude arkestra performances that often end in sexual assault, further exploiting these vulnerable young women.
To understand why such dancers are flourishing in the rural areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and other regions, we need to explore the demand side of the arkestra performance. It’s not that these dances have suddenly emerged in the last decade or two; these performances have been a part of village ceremonies in Bihar and UP for a long time. Traditionally, families would organize these dances to display their wealth and social status. However, the recent surge in vulgar stage performances goes beyond mere displays of affluence.
With the increased penetration of the internet and the easy access to adult content on various websites, nude arkestra and semi-nude arkestra performances have become a quick means of gratification for men in rural areas. This phenomenon draws hundreds of young men who cheer, tease, and attempt to get as close as possible to the scantily clad dancers, or even touch them.
There have been tragic instances where arkestra dancers were kidnapped by men in the audience, dragged into nearby fields under the cover of darkness, and brutally raped.
In some cases, chaos at arkestra performances has led to hooligans firing guns into the air, resulting in accidental deaths of the dancers. The root of this violence lies in the audience’s perception of these women—not as artists, but as objects for their gratification, similar to sex workers. This distorted view has led to degrading actions, such as men forcibly inserting their hands inside the dancers’ undergarments and groping them, or kissing them by force, leaving them humiliated and emotionally shattered.
Most disturbing aspect of current trend in arkestra dances is inclusion of minor girls, as young as 12- 14 years of age, who perform on vulgar Bhojpuri songs and are harassed by men in audience trying to touch them inappropriately. These girls are either daughters of arkestra performers who force them to dance due to poverty or those trafficked. In recent past many videos have become viral on Twitter/ X and Facebook with people outraging over exploitation of minor girls and criticizing depravity of people who indulge in such entertainment.
Unlike cities and metropolitan areas, rural villagers have limited entertainment options, such as theaters or malls. This scarcity of entertainment choices has contributed to the popularity of arkestra dancers in these areas. The songs that these girls perform to are often filled with vulgar lyrics, part of a broader Bhojpuri music industry that profits from selling albums that can be described as audio erotica. Since these stage performances are open-air, with no entry barriers or very low ticket prices, the audience often includes many underage boys. This situation does not bode well for fostering a woman-friendly environment in villages. Open displays of objectification and nudity corrupt young minds and threaten the moral fabric of society at large, leading to a broader societal decline.
What is even more shocking is the lack of any serious effort by local administrations to curb this growing menace. The arkestra sector seems to operate with little to no regulation, despite abundant evidence of vulgar performances readily available on platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Although some NGOs are dedicated to addressing this issue, the scale of the problem is so vast that their efforts are largely ineffective.
In the absence of formal administrative intervention, the solution may lie in community policing. It is essential for the elder and educated members of the villages to unite and pressure event organizers to cease these exploitative performances, possibly with the threat of legal action if they fail to comply. Change must originate from within the community itself. Families should prioritize hosting only respectable cultural performances rather than allowing lewd, erotic dances. Often, demands for such entertainment come from the groom’s side during wedding festivities to entertain the baraati. The younger generation must resist making such requests, and if the groom’s family insists, the bride’s family should firmly oppose it. Reducing the demand for erotic arkestra dances will help restore dignity to the performers and ensure a healthier societal environment.
Significant societal changes often begin with small, individual actions.
FAQs on Arkestra/ Orchestra Dances in Bihar/U.P.
- What is the history of Arkestra dance in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh?
- How have Arkestra dances evolved over time in rural India?
- What are the negative impacts of vulgar Arkestra performances in villages?
- How are Arkestra dancers exploited in rural areas?
- What are the mental and physical challenges faced by orchestra dancers?
- How does social media affect the lives of orchestra dancers?
- What role do human trafficking and exploitation play in the orchestra dance industry?
- Why are young girls often lured into becoming orchestra dancers?
- How does the orchestra dance industry contribute to the objectification of women in rural areas?
- What are the possible solutions to the issues surrounding orchestra dances in rural India?
- How can community policing help reduce vulgar orchestra performances?
- What role do NGOs play in combating exploitation in the orchestra dance industry?
- How do cultural expectations and traditions influence the demand for orchestra dancers?
- What are the legal and social challenges in regulating orchestra performances in rural areas?
- How does the lack of entertainment options in villages contribute to the popularity of orchestra dances?
- What is the connection between Bhojpuri music and vulgar stage performances?
- How can rural communities take steps to preserve the dignity of cultural performances?
- What are the societal implications of exposing young minds to vulgar orchestra dances?
- What are the ethical responsibilities of families when organizing cultural performances?
- How can the youth contribute to reducing the demand for erotic dances in rural ceremonies?
