Four sisters who are part of the Maharashtra dance group from India are performing the unique Lavani number as part of a joint venture between Government and the Indian High Commission disability awareness campaign.

The four folk dancing sisters Reshma, Varsha, Ashwini and Poonam Musale’s performances complement the group of seven visiting doctors who are in the country conducting cardiology screenings.

“This is a joint venture between Fiji and India to create awareness for people with disabilities,” said India’s High Commissioner Vishvas Sapkal at their show in Suva.

“The objective is to identify disabled people, see the possibilities of medical assistance and provide them the proper medical assistance to make them able,” Mr Sapkal said.

The group has performed in Labasa, Suva, Sigatoka and Ba. They are schduled to perform Lautoka today.

According to Wikipedia, Lavani is a genre of dance performed solely by female dancers, combining traditional song and dance that commonly has a “naughty and erotic” nature.

Traditionally, it was performed to entertain and raise the spirits of exhausted soldiers of the Maratha Empire that ruled large swathes of 18th century India.

Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Veena Bhatnagar thanked the Indian government for their generosity in providing free medical assessment and care for the people of Fiji following the Suva show.

Permanent Secretary for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Dr Josefa Koroivueta was delighted to welcome the Indian contingent; said the campaign has had an impact on the theme “Make a difference in the life of a person living with a disability.”

“I was somewhat excited when I heard that there were some Fijians living with disabilities will benefit from this programme, and I think that’s the greatest outcome that could ever happen,” Dr Koroivueta said.

It is estimated that more than 10 per cent of Fiji’s population live with some form of disability, according to a 2008 survey done by the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability.

Edited by Karalaini Waqanidrola

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