Horses dressed in fine costumes have seven minutes to wow the crowds with their moves. Dussehra, an annual Indian festival, celebrates the victory of good over evil. And during this special time on the Hindu calendar, in the village of Tappal in Uttar Pradesh, 56 miles from the capital of New Delhi, residents attend a much-anticipated day-long celebration: the equine version of So You Think You Can Dance. Horses are a big deal here already — they’re a status symbol — but the annual competition, which is locally known as the Ghoda Nritya Pratiyogita (roughly translates to “horse dancing competition”), draws excited crowds from neighboring villages who come to watch dozens of the beautifully-costumed animals dance. According to local legend, some 30-odd years ago a mysterious man visited the village with a horse who could dance. This has since spurred villagers to start training their horses — almost every household has them — to fouetté and pirouette. |