Under floodlights in Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, men in black T-shirts are sprinting around, red sashes around their waists sweeping through the night air. Nearby, performers have locked arms to build human pyramids. Some others are clustering under stage lights, synchronised steps building up to a preformative crescendo.

The ongoing rehearsals have a certain raw quality – an instinctive, energetic rhythm, rather than practised theatrical polish, is driving the movements of the performers on the ground.

For most of these 2,000-odd performers, the journey to Kevadia is as significant as the performance they are preparing for.…