The better class of Kasbi women, when seen in public, are conspicuous
by their wealth of jewellery and their shoes of patent leather or
other good material. Women of other castes do not commonly wear shoes
in the streets. The Kasbis are always well and completely clothed,
and it has been noticed elsewhere that the Indian courtesan is more
modestly dressed than most women. No doubt in this matter she knows
her business. A well-to-do dancing-girl has a dress of coloured
muslin or gauze trimmed with tinsel lace, with a short waist, long
straight sleeves, and skirts which reach a little below the knee, a
shawl falling from the head over the shoulders and wrapped round the
body, and a pair of tight satin trousers, reaching to the ankles. The
feet are bare, and strings of small bells are tied round them. They
usually dance and sing to the accompaniment of the tabla, sarangi and
majira. The tabla or drum is made of two half-bowls--one brass or clay
for the bass, and the other of wood for the treble. They are covered
with goat-skin and played together. The sarangi is a fiddle. The majira
(cymbals) consist of two metallic cups slung together and used for
beating time. Before a dancing-girl begins her performance she often
invokes the aid of Saraswati, the goddess of music. She then pulls her
ear as a sign of remembrance of Tansen, India's greatest musician,
and a confession to his spirit of the imperfection of her own sense
of music. The movements of the feet are accompanied by a continual
opening and closing of henna-dyed hands; and at intervals the girl
kneels at the feet of one or other of the audience. On the festival
of Basant Panchmi or the commencement of spring these girls worship
their dancing-dress and musical instruments with offerings of rice,
flowers and a cocoanut.