The Russian Disco.
INDIA | Tuesday, 18 March 2008 | Views [548]
Björn and his new found German friends, Bartram and Susannah and Austrian, Kuyt introduced me to ‘the Russian Disco’ of Gokarna, a far cry from the one in Berlin. Ananda or the Russian Disco as we call it is a friendly little restaurant at the far end of Gokarna Beach. It has its own set of people, predominantly a Russian clientele since in hushed voices we were told it was funded by a Russian man who now resides in Goa. The law of the land is written in Russian at Ananda, ‘you watch the party, join the party or pack your fuckin’ bags and move your stinking asses from here,’ we were told also in hushed tones.
Björn told me, “It is quiet and nice. At times it gets wild.” I failed to grasp the emphasis stressed on the last word and was left taken by surprise.
As we walked in I looked around and amazed to see Ananda was decorated with Tibetan prayer flags and the walls were adorned with terrible Russian attempts to replicate the masters. As Björn commenced his game of chess I scanned the place and counted Fifteen Russians all lost in contemplation or probably spaced out. I was to find out later.
As we ordered bhang lassi’s I noticed all the Russians were animated or so I felt. The skinhead in the corner was occupied by shoveling for mucous in his nose as he picked the dirt; he rolled it into a ball and ticked it off using his thumb. The burly one next to him was lost in contemplation and was staring straight at the cheap paper maiche lamp shade ahead of him. Besides him was a scrawny, unkempt, blond man with a beard untended, trying hard to light a chillum and was assisted by his friend who appearance was not far from his friends. The emaciated girl next to him was probably in a trance and was in perfect harmony with Trilok Gurtu. The blond next to her was topless, though at first glance it was hard to tell if it was a man or a woman. But then I realised it was indeed a girl trying to clean her toe nails. The man next to her with an imposing physique was curiously observing the girl clean her toes nails, probably secretly desiring to have his nails cleaned too. It definitely would have helped his cause. Amidst all these clowns was a blond beautiful kid probably twelve, thirteen running around with a green gift sock fastened to his head. The two men sitting next in order were well built, stocky and had tattoos to go with their super physique and were sprawled on the ledge meant for sitting. A medusa like lady was next sucking a cigarette and sipping chai and the girl next to ‘medusa’ had passed out, probably fatigue or stoned. I don’t know. To finish of the Russian circus was Amar, sitting next to me. He was lost in thought and could understand hardly any English. He looked sane amongst the Russians here at Ananda. I learnt later he was the craziest amongst the lot. Well, there was another couple in the far corner with dread locks swaying wildly to Trilok Gurtu’s drum beats.
Another table was occupied by us, Björn and Bartram in deep thought about the next move, sipping bhang lassi’s, Susannah and Kuyt were speaking in German and I could not make anything of their conversation and I was busy observing all the people around while the restaurant’s dog slept peacefully in the amidst of this clamor.
The music changed from Trilok Gurtu to some Russian artist whose music I was not familiar with. The dreadlocked couple started dancing where the dog was sleeping in peace with its surrounding. Then a few more joined in, few more, and then all the Russians were shaking a leg while we sat pondering our next course of action. “We stay,’ Kuyt said and we did what we all had in mind, sat and watched the revellery. Then as soon as it started it stopped, all the Russians walked out as we were wondering what the hell were happening.
Amidst, cheers, whistles, camera flashes everybody reemerged from the beach with a girl who had her body painted blue and a few yellow stripes that resembled a tiger or as in this case, a tigress. She was the centre of attraction for a while as everybody danced around her. She left as quickly as she came and then the Russians drank loads of beer and danced the night away as we sat down sipping our beers.
Now Björn’s warning, ‘it gets wild,’ echoes in my ears.
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