Kerala Bharatanatyam dancer denied temple performance books new show on same date
India Today
A Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala who was denied permission to perform in a temple has scheduled a new performance for the same date.
Kerala's Bharatanatyam dancer Manisya VP, who was denied permission to perform at the Koodalmanikyam temple at Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, will perform in Kozhikode, the same day she was supposed to perform at the temple.
The organisers, 'Manjadikkuru', said Mansiya has accepted their invitation to dance at the Town Hall in Kozhikode at 6 pm on April 21. Her performance will be part of a seminar titled 'mathethara devaswom nishedhicha nritham' (The dance denied by secular devaswom).
According to Baiju Merikunnu, Convener of Manjadikkuru, in such cases, political parties usually rally behind the artist. This time, however, nothing of the sort happened.
Manjadikkuru will also bear the costs of the performance. If Mansiya had danced at the temple, she would have had to pay for the percussionists, he said.
Dancer Mansiya, who was supposed to perform at Koodalmanikyam temple fest to be held on April 24, was removed from the list of performers after she refused to conform to a religion. Mansiya was raised Muslim and currently identifies as a person without any religion.
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