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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Short description|Indian classical dancer (born 1995)}}
'''Mansiya V. P.''' (born 1995;)<ref>{{Cite news |title=BJP leaders back dancer Mansiya Shyam Kalyan denied nod |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/sangh-leaders-back-dancer-denied-nod/articleshow/90529057.cms |access-date=2024-11-05 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> is an Indian [[dance]]r who specialises in the [[Bharatanatyam]] form of [[Indian classical dance]]. She has pursued her career in dancing, despite facing [[Social rejection|social ostracism]] by orthodox among Muslims on account of her dancing while being a non-Hindu. She has also faced exclusion from some Hindu temples.

In December 2022, Mansiya was elected as one of the 26 members of the council of [[Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-15 |title=Dancer Mansiya, six others in Sangeeta Nataka Akademi council |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/dec/15/dancer-mansiya-six-others-in-sangeeta-nataka-akademi-council-2528232.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215072536/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/dec/15/dancer-mansiya-six-others-in-sangeeta-nataka-akademi-council-2528232.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 December 2022 |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-18 |title=Mansiya dances her way ignoring 'rules' |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2022/dec/18/mansiya-dances-her-way-ignoring-rules-2529229.html |access-date=2023-04-16 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Mansiya was born in 1995 in [[Valluvambram Junction|Velluvampuram]], [[Malappuram]], to Syed Alavikutty and Amina V. P.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=John |first=Haritha |date=19 January 2015 |title=Ostracised for being Muslim and performing dance, 20-year-old Mansiya's story |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ostracised-being-muslim-and-performing-dance-20-year-old-mansiyas-story-17001 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108105145/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ostracised-being-muslim-and-performing-dance-20-year-old-mansiyas-story-17001 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Varier |first=Megha |date=26 May 2017 |title=Once shunned for learning 'Hindu dance forms', read a Kerala Muslim woman's journey to success |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/once-shunned-learning-hindu-dance-forms-read-kerala-muslim-woman-s-journey-success-62654 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526124149/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/once-shunned-learning-hindu-dance-forms-read-kerala-muslim-woman-s-journey-success-62654 |archive-date=26 May 2017 |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Hrishikesh |first=Sharanya |date=4 April 2022 |title=Mansiya VP: Kerala dancer who took on religious conservatives |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-60952503 |access-date=5 April 2022}}</ref> She has an elder sister, Rubiya, who is also a dancer.<ref name="Mary">{{cite news |last1=Mary |first1=John |date=9 March 2006 |title=Muslim girl dances social divide |work=BBC News |location=London |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4746480.stm |access-date=5 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918021819/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4746480.stm |archive-date=18 September 2008}}</ref> During her childhood, Mansiya's father worked abroad in [[Saudi Arabia]], but he supported his wife's interest in having his daughters study traditional dance. Alavikutty was not religious, though his wife was Muslim.<ref name=":5" /> When he returned to India, he worked in a travel agency.<ref name="Mary" /> They raised their daughters with a non-conformist, secular outlook and were open-minded in ensuring that their daughters would receive exposure to varied religious traditions. The daughters studied the Quran in a [[Madrasa]]h and were taught from both Hindu and Christian religious texts at home.<ref name=":2" />

Both sisters attended public school and Veeran Haji High School.<ref name="Mary" /><ref name="Soman" >{{Cite news |last=Soman |first=Deepa |title=Muslim woman dancer: The obstacles are what made me resolutely decide that dance will be my life: Bharatanatyam dancer Mansiya V P {{!}} Kochi News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/the-obstacles-are-what-made-me-resolutely-decide-that-dance-will-be-my-life-bharatanatyam-dancer-mansiya-v-p/articleshow/62696114.cms |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=The Times of India |date=30 January 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Rubiya went on to earn a post graduate degree from [[Annamalai University]] of [[Chidambaram]] and became a dance teacher.<ref name=":0" /> Mansiya completed her under-graduate studies at [[N.S.S College, Manjeri]]<ref name=":0" /> and went on to get a first division [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] in [[Bharatnatyam]] from the [[University of Madras]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=27 May 2017 |title=Boycotted for learning 'Hindu dance forms', the tale of two Muslim sisters will move you to tears |url=http://www.inuth.com/trends/social-virals/boycotted-for-learning-hindu-dance-forms-the-tale-of-two-muslim-sisters-will-move-you-to-tears/ |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=InUth |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Dance ==
{{Quote box
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| title = 'My art is my God and the stage is my temple':
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| quote = "... I don't believe in any religion. But I believe in God... My strength is my art and practicing my art is my [[worship|puja]]... Just before we perform, we touch the stage in [[Salute|obeisance]]. That's because the stage is our temple and what we perform is our God.... in a temple, before every performance I pray to the deity from outside and [[Prostration|prostrate]] in front of Him. ..."
| source = ~ Mansiya V.P. in interview with Shobha Warrier on [[Rediff.com|Rediff]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=WARRIER |first=SHOBHA |date=2022-04-06 |title='My art is my God and the stage is my temple' |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/why-mansiya-could-not-dance-in-a-temple/20220406.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220406054952/https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/why-mansiya-could-not-dance-in-a-temple/20220406.htm |archive-date=2022-04-06 |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Rediff |language=en |quote=I don't believe in any religion. But I believe in God. I am of the opinion that belief in God and belief in religion are two different things....My strength is my art and practicing my art is my puja...Just before we perform, we touch the stage in obeisance. That's because the stage is our temple and what we perform is our God....If I am going to dance in a temple, before every performance I pray to the deity from outside and prostrate in front of Him. }}</ref>
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Despite difficult circumstances and acute social ostracism due to prevailing religious conservatism, both daughters were enrolled in Indian classical dance classes since age of three and encouraged to pursue and continue their dance career along with regular education.<ref name=":2" /> They studied various classical forms of Indian dances including Bharatnatyam, [[Kuchipudi]], Mohiniyattam, [[Kerala Natanam|Kerala Nadanam]] and [[Kathakali]].<ref name=":2" /> Their teachers included Sarojini in [[Manjeri]], RLV Anand, Bharatanjali Sasi, and Puthur Pramodh Das, among others.<ref name="Soman" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name="Mary" /> From 2005 to 2012, Mansiya regularly participated in the [[Kerala School Kalolsavam|Kerala state school festivals]] (class VIII to XII) and won prizes for her [[Mohiniyattam|Mohiniyattom]] performances.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> She was twice awarded the "Kalathilakam", an award for the best female performer, at the annual youth festival of the [[University of Calicut]].<ref name=":0" /> She has experimented with choreographing a fusion of classical Bharatnatyam with traditional [[Sufi music]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Elizabeth |date=11 September 2018 |title=Dancing against all obstacles |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/music/110918/dancing-against-all-obstacles.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911131300/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/music/110918/dancing-against-all-obstacles.html |archive-date=11 September 2018 |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}</ref>

== Social ostracism ==
According to a report by Haritha John in ''[[The News Minute]]'', the family was ostracized from the local community due to Islam being against public appearances by post [[puberty]] women. Stage performances are a taboo subject among conservative [[Islam in Kerala|Kerala Muslim community]] and even the application of [[Theatrical makeup|makeup]] for a dance performance is frowned upon.<ref name=":0" /> According to Megha Varier, the sister's father Alavikutty was already detested in their community for being a theatre artist and the family was shunned for not following [[Burqa|Burkha]].<ref name=":2" /> Varier says putting up with contesting questions by the daughters to Madrasah teachers exacerbated the situation.<ref name=":2" /> John says social ostracism in her Muslim community results in her and her family regularly being excluded from community public functions and events. Varier's report adds that there is a denial of social and financial help even during serious illness to any of their family members as the result of their secular lifestyle.<ref name=":2" /> John says the Mansiya and Rubiya sister duo have been attacked and faced abuses while walking on the road. Their own relatives and friends told them that they would end up in [[Jahannam|hell]] since they dance on the stage.<ref name=":0" /> The sisters faced neglect both at school and at the madrassa even from teachers who shunned them. As a result of all of this, the sisters had few friends.<ref name=":0" /> John adds that Mansiya even faced death threats while the community did not allow her mother Amina's burial because the sister duo perform Indian classical dances.<ref name=":0" />

According to Manoj Viswanathan, while Mansiya's own Islam community ostracized her family, some Hindu temples allowed her to perform at their premises even though she was not a Hindu and had declared herself to be [[Irreligion in India|irreligious]]..<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=29 March 2022 |title=Kerala: who is Bharatanatyam dancer Mansiya VP and why is she barred from temple performance? |url=https://www.zee5.com/global/news/details/kerala-who-is-bharatanatyam-dancer-mansiya-vp-and-why-is-she-barred-from-temple-performance/0-0-newsauto_2adjvci64f50 |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=zee5.com}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> A few temples, such as the [[Guruvayur Temple|Guravayoor Temple]] and [[Koodalmanikyam Temple]] ([[Thrissur district]] Kerala), declined dance performance opportunities due to individual temple regulations on admittance of non-Hindus to temple grounds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Viswanathan |first=Manoj |title=Atheist dancer denied stage at Kerala temple festival |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/mar/28/atheist-dancer-denied-stage-at-kerala-temple-festival-2435121.html |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=The New Indian Express|date=28 March 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title='Non-Hindu' Bharatanatyam dancer stopped from performing in Kerala temple |url=https://scroll.in/latest/1020603/kerala-bharatanatyam-dancer-stopped-from-performing-at-temple-for-being-non-hindu |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=Scroll.in |date=29 March 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Dancer denied temple performance: Tharoor expresses disappointment, says art overruled by religion |url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/dancer-denied-temple-performance-tharoor-expresses-disappointment-says-art-overruled-by-religion-1.7387062 |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=English.Mathrubhumi |date=29 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Some politicians and dancers expressed their disappointment over some Hindu temples not giving performance opportunities to non-Hindu dancers.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" />

According to Nikhila Henry, similar exclusionary practices were adopted by the church in the case of Soumya Sukumaran, another Bharatanatyam dancer.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=Nikhila |date=1 April 2022 |title='Discrimination Rampant': Christian Dancer Barred at Second Kerala Temple |url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/padmanabha-swamy-kshetram-second-kerala-temple-bars-christian-dancer-from-performance |access-date=5 April 2022 |website=TheQuint |language=en}}</ref> Sukumaran's family's church shuns her for being a dancer.<ref name=":3" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Portal bar|Biography|India}}

[[Category:Bharatanatyam dancers]]
[[Category:1995 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian dancers]]

Mansiya V. P. - Revision history

Yeashrahman: new a pg