Nagin dance can break a marriage: This is why

The long-standing tradition of arranged marriages in India has produced some bizarre situations at the altar. Couples who don’t know each other well enough have broken up over political beliefs and dietary preferences. But topping the list of all-time best mandap breakups is an incident from UP's Shahjahanpur where the bride-to-be ditched her groom-to-be because of the "nagin dance”.

For the uninitiated, this is the nagin dance:

The nagin (snake) dance is permanent fixture at many a wedding baraat in India. At some point during the celebrations, the drunken men at the wedding force the “deejay” to play the nagin tune and start grooving to it the way they imagine snakes dancing – which is basically slithering on the floor, pretending the hands move like the snake's head. The nagin dance at weddings, thanks to all the drunkenness that builds it up, is not a sight for sore eyes. It is a red-flag, one that helped this woman dodge a bullet.

According to a report on Times of India, on June 27, in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district, 23-year-old Priyanka Tripathi called off the wedding with Anubhav Mishra just before rituals were to begin because she noticed that the man she was about to marry was thoroughly drunk and in his inebriety attempted the nagin dance. Tripathi, who found herself embarrassed by this uncouth behaviour, immediately decided that the drunk man was not suitable for her.

The report states that both families belonged to the same community and knew each. All the pre-wedding rituals were already out carried out - the gifts too had been exchanged. Just before Mishra was to be formally welcomed by the bride's family, a wild “nagin dance” appeared and the groom could not help himself but dance to this groovy track as his friends showered currency notes on him. The bride and her family were obviously shocked.

And even as the groom's family tried to convince her, the bride-to-be stood her ground, ultimately forcing her fiance and his family to return home.

As a reminder to all the drunken men around India who are soon to get married, here is a friendly tip: Don’t get drunk on your wedding day. And don’t do the nagin dance.

Here's a list of unacceptable dance moves on your wedding day, Mr Groom:

Also read: Why my friend blames Modi for calling off the wedding