Kerala: who is Bharatanatyam dancer Mansiya VP and why is she barred from temple performance?

An atheist dancer was denied permission on Monday to perform at the famed Koodalmanikyam temple in Irinjalakuda, Kerala for an upcoming festival, saying she is not a Hindu.

Mansiya V P, a Bharatanatyam dancer and a PhD research scholar in classical dance, says the temple officials denied her permission to perform despite her name being printed in the programme notice.

Mansiya, a Muslim-born woman, was to perform at the 10-day National Festival of Dance and Music organised by the temple.

Mansiya told the media that the organisers told her that she could not perform, when asked why, they said non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple. She informed the temple authorities that she does not practice any religion.

The temple authorities also asked if she had converted to Hinduism as she was married to musician Shyam Kalyan.

The classical dancer told the official that she was not coming to offer her prayers at the temple but to perform Bharatanatyam.

Mansiya V P has performed at many temples in the past. She informed the media that if the decision was made because they found her performance not up to the mark, she would have accepted it.

Meanwhile, Koodalmanikyam Devaswom Chairman Pradeep Menon said the decision was following tradition which dictates that non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple premises. Menon also said that the advertisement for the programme clearly stated that only Hindus need to apply to perform. He said the temple officials respect the artiste but it also has to follow the tradition.

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