Expressing solidarity with dancer Mansiya VP, who was denied opportunity to perform at Koodalmanikyam temple on religious grounds, at least two dancers on Friday decided not to participate in the dance festival at the ancient Kerala shrine.
Karthik Manikandan, a Bharata Natyam dancer took to Facebook and said he was backing out from his performance scheduled on April 17.
Anju Aravind, a classical dancer and a research scholar, said she has decided to boycott the programme being organised at the temple.
In solidarity with the artistes who were "sidelined" from participating in the Koodalmanikyam dance and music fest, "I'm backing out" from performing on April 17 at the temple, Karthik wrote on his Facebook page.
He pledged his support to Mansiya and all the artistes, who were denied permission to perform in the temple on religious grounds.
Anju, who was scheduled to perform at the festival on April 21, also announced through Facebook her decision to boycott the festival.
She said Mansiya was denied permission on the sole ground that she was a non-Hindu.
"As an artist, I believe that there is no caste or religion for art and I cannot perform on that stage after giving in writing that I am a Hindu. Therefore, I boycott this opportunity," Anju wrote on her Facebook page.
Amid a raging controversy over the denial of permission to non-Hindu artistes to perform in Kerala's famous Koodalmanikyam temple, a Devaswom official had on Wednesday said conciliatory talks are on with all stakeholders including priests to address the issue and expressed hope that a positive outcome will be evolved in the near future.
The temple officials had said that as per the custom and traditions, not only artistes belonging to other religions, even non-Hindu politicians and workers are not allowed to enter in the temple compound.
Mansiya, a Bharata Natyam dancer and a PhD research scholar in classical dance, had on Monday taken to Facebook saying the temple officials denied her permission to perform despite printing her name in the programme notice. She has declared that she does not belong to any religion.
The temple officials had claimed that she was denied permission as the shrine tradition does not allow a non-Hindu to enter the premises.
Mansiya, a Muslim-born woman, was to perform at the 10-day National Festival of Dance and Music organised by the temple to be held from April 15 to 25. Around 800 artistes are expected to perform at the temple during the fest.
