Rajesh was a 12th grade student who loved dancing but felt insecure about his skills. He wished he could be as graceful and talented as the bharatanatyam dancers he admired on TV. Bharatanatyam is a form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu and expresses Hindu religious themes and spiritual ideas. One day, he went to a temple and prayed to the goddess Saraswati, the patron of arts and learning, to make him the best dancer in the world.
To his surprise, a bright flash of light appeared and he saw the goddess standing before him. She smiled and said that she would grant his wish but with a twist: he would have to become a girl for one year and learn bharatanatyam from a guru in Chennai. She said that this was the only way he could truly appreciate the beauty and discipline of the dance form. She also said that everyone’s memories would be altered so that they would think he was always a girl.
Before Rajesh could protest, he felt a strange sensation in his body. He looked down and saw that his clothes had changed into a salwar kameez, a traditional outfit worn by women in India. He also noticed that his hair had grown long and his face had become more feminine. He touched his nose and felt a piercing with a small stud attached to it. He gasped as he realized that he had been transformed into a girl.
He heard his mother calling him from outside. She said that they had to go to the beauty parlour for some final touches before his big performance. Rajesh was confused but followed her obediently. At the parlour, he was given a manicure, pedicure, eyebrow threading, waxing and facial treatment. He felt uncomfortable with all these procedures but did not dare to complain.
Then his mother took him to their home where she dressed him in a bharatanatyam costume with all the jewellery. Rajesh looked at himself in the mirror and could not believe how beautiful he looked as a girl dancer. He felt nervous but also excited about his performance.
His mother drove him to the auditorium where he met his guru, an elderly woman who taught him bharatanatyam for six months since they moved to Chennai from Delhi after Rajesh’s father got transferred there (or so everyone remembered). His guru praised him for his hard work and dedication and told him to do his best on stage.
Rajesh went backstage where he saw other dancers waiting for their turn. He recognized some of them from TV shows or competitions. They greeted him warmly and complimented him on his appearance. Rajesh felt flattered but also intimidated by their talent.
He heard his name being announced by the host as the next performer. He took a deep breath and walked onto the stage where he saw hundreds of people watching him expectantly.
He bowed to the audience and then started dancing to the music played by live musicians. He felt an amazing sensation as if his body was moving automatically without any effort or hesitation. He executed every step perfectly with grace and precision. He expressed every emotion vividly with his eyes, his face, his hands, and his feet. He captivated everyone with his charm, his elegance, his energy, and his skill.
He finished his dance with a flourish and received a thunderous applause from the audience. He smiled radiantly and thanked them with another bow. He felt happy that he had fulfilled his wish and became a beautiful dancer.
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