As a Bharatanatyam classical dancer born into a Muslim family, ostracism is hardly a novel experience for Mansiya VP. Hence, she was not troubled when she was informed on Sunday, March 27,

by a member of the Irinjalakuda Koodalmanikyam Temple committee, that she has been barred from performing at the temple because she is non-Hindu. The authorities of the temple, located in

Kerala’s Thrissur district, had already confirmed and charted her performance for April 21 around a month ago. “The committee member asked me if I have converted to Hinduism because my

husband belongs to the community. He even offered to reconsider the decision if that was the case. But how will a person like me, who has no religion, get converted,” she asks.