Mansiya V.P., a popular Bharatanatyam dancer from Kerala, who had faced boycott from Muslim clerics for choosing to learn and perform the art form, faced another boycott, this time from temple authorities in Thrissur district.
In a Facebook post, Mansiya, a PhD research scholar in Bharatanatyam, alleged that Koodalmanikyam Temple in Thrissur canceled a scheduled dance programme to be held in the temple premises, because she is non-Hindu.
She said one of the trustees of the temple called her to inform that she will not be allowed to perform Bharatanatyam, scheduled for April 21, as she is not a Hindu.
It does not seem to matter if you are a good dancer, it all depends on the religion you belong to, she wrote.
"I was even asked if I had been converted to Hinduism after marriage. But I don't have a religion, so how do I convert."
She said this is not a new experience for her.
“A few years ago, I had lost a chance to perform at Guruvayur temple festival for the same reason.”
She pointed out that art forms and artists are intertwined with religions in the state. While one religion forbids art, another monopolises it, she said.
“This is nothing new for me. I have experienced bigger setbacks in the past. I am writing this to show that nothing has changed over the years,” the dancer wrote.
