Dancing with the Hare Krishnas in Saint Petersburg Russia

Dancing with the Hare Krishnas in Saint Petersburg Russia

Situation

You are walking down Nevsky Prospect in Saint Petersburg, Russia.  You visited the Kazan Cathedral, and you are walking along the canal to visit another church called Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood.  The sun is shining.  It is warm enough to wear a sport jacket, but you often have to take it off because you are walking all day long; when the wind is not blowing, you sweat a little.  You have a couple of guys with you, and a girl tagging along.  They are all Americans except the girl.  You took a short 15 minute taxi ride from the hotel to near Arts Square.  You desire to bathe in the beauty of Saint Petersburg for an afternoon: beautiful buildings and beautiful ladies.  Eventually, you see something you had not expected: a group of chanting and dancing Hare Krishnas.

Atmosphere

Looking out the window of a third floor café as you eat lunch across from the Kazan Cathedral, you can see the tourists with their cameras on their chests held secure with a neck strap; they wear casual clothes – often with shorts, and usually ill-fitting.  The natives, however, are well-dressed.  The ladies of Saint Petersburg are always well-dressed, and they know how to swing their hips be they wearing black pants or short skirts one to two inches above the knees.  Females here look most charming wearing a one-piece outfit with matching high heels; it drapes over their well sculpted bodies and gently bounces with the staccato movements of their walking with a grace only the beauty of Slavic girls can pull off.

Journey

After seeing Kazan Cathedral, you cross the street Nevsky Prospect, take an immediate right on the sidewalk and then go across the Griboyedova Canal, and then hang an immediate left on Griboyedova Canal Drive.  So, you pass several buildings.  Tour boats pass in the canal to your left.  The people in the boats wave to you and you wave back.  You get to a street whereby if you turn right, it takes you to Arts Square. 

Taking a Closer Look

You look past this intersection, and you see a group of people – perhaps 50 or so – singing and chanting, and holding up a blue sign in Russian displaying what the words to the chant are.  Some are holding pink pennants, and other orange ones.  The men are dressed in robes.  Some wear scarves on the robes and others have tee-shirts.  The women are all wearing long dresses that reach almost to the floor.  The women and men are in separate groups.  They dance separate dances, but to the same music.  A few people are playing drums.  The chant is repeated indefinitely.  Tourists stare on in a large crown about equal or slightly less than the group of Hare Krishnas.  People are taking pictures and video footage.

May I have this Dance?

Freddy is looking at the spectacle in amazement.  Freddy looks at Robert and laughs.  Robert laughs in return. 

Robert smirks, and says, “Hey, why don’t we go join them?”

Freddy thinks for a moment and responds, “Not today.”

Robert challenges, “Hey, you know, live dangerously – let’s go dance with them.”

Freddy declines.

Robert says, “Well, I think I will go and dance with them.”

Jack is already to the front of the Krishnas with his high quality camera ready.  Robert and Freddy are standing to their left near the group of men dancers.

Freddy thinks to himself.  Robert will not do it.  I cannot believe that he will do it.  Then…Oh crap, there he goes.  He is doing it! 

Robert easily saunters right next to the male dancers of Krishnas and begins moving in sync with them.  They look at him, smile and continue dancing.  Freddy looks on the crowd and sees a few Russian women and tourists giggling at Robert’s stunt of joining in the dance. 

Freddy moves to the front of the Krishna group toward Jack to ensure that Jack is catching this with his camera.  Freddy is laughing hard.  Robert is moving his legs and torso in sync with the Krishna men.  He even puts his hands in the air as he moved to the rhythm of the beat.  Freddy cannot stop laughing.  Russians and tourists are giggling. 

Robert then eases out of the dance and joins Freddy and Jack toward the front of the group for one last look at the Krishnas.  Jack takes a few more photographs and then they are off to the Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood.

All three travelers are thinking the same thought silently.  Wow, that was another “WTF” moment in Russia.