Nataraja Statue Banned from Malaysian Bharatanatyam Dance Pe

Adidaivam · Post by **Adidaivam** » 17 Jun 2008, 03:49

Nataraja Statue Banned from Malaysian Bharatanatyam Dance Performance
13/06/2008 13:34:28 Source: http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/8420/1/

IPOH, MALAYSIA, : At the beginning of every Bharatanatyam performance, artistes of this famous South Indian classical dance pay obeisance on stage to a statue of Lord Nataraja. However, on Monday night, a group of Bharatanatyam dancers performed before a full gallery at the Taman Budaya public auditorium without the customary on-stage prayer to Lord Nataraja. This was because the owner of the venue, the state Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Department, permitted the dance on condition they did not install a statue or portrait of the deity and offer their prayers on stage. This is not the first time that dancers from the three Bharatanatyam schools of Nrityakalanjali, Natyakalamandir and Anandanarthana Choodamani in the state had performed at the venue. The department said the organizers were informed beforehand of the conditions and chose to go ahead with the performance.

The department's public relations officer, Shaliza Azlin, said the organizers had agreed that the prayers would be performed backstage to respect the sensitivities of the audience, who also comprised Chinese and Malays. "We did not stop them from doing the puja. We did not want them to do it in public."

Shaliza said the same conditions had been imposed on other cultural groups. Perak state assembly speaker V. Sivakumar, who was at the performance, said: "The prayer is very much part of the cultural performance and should have been allowed on the stage." He said he would bring the matter up with the state government as well as his party so that such "intolerant behavior" could be nipped in the bud before it became widespread.
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P.S. - If Hindus can't do Puja in public in a Muslim Majority Country ,why do Mullahs scream "Allah-o-Akbar" in public and over loud speakers causing nuisance and sound pollution in Muslim Minority Countries like India?

manvantara · Post by **manvantara** » 17 Jun 2008, 22:00

P.S. - If Hindus can't do Puja in public in a Muslim Majority Country ,why do Mullahs scream "Allah-o-Akbar" in public and over loud speakers causing nuisance and sound pollution in Muslim Minority Countries like India?

Hindus are a tolerant lot! Let the others learn from us....or not, it does not matter. We will continue to be secular in our approach.

BTW, the organizers may not have allowed the dancers to offer their pranams in public to a vigraha of Nataraja.....but each of the items they presented must have been on some deity, right?!! They offered their pranams through dance! Allowing the dance itself should not be allowed, in that case. I find this amusing.
I suppose the objection was to the statue....

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 17 Jun 2008, 23:13

Malaysia has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in the recent past particularly with regard to the treatment of its ethnic Indian community. Perhaps the organisers could have cancelled the program as a mark of protest. Bharatanatyam perfomer/s being disallowed from paying public obeisance to Lord Nataraja. Baffling. :rolleyes:

And to think that the Malaysian Govt Ad for promotion of Tourism "Malaysian - Truly Asian" has a set of enthusiastic Bharatanatyam performers showcasing their country.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 17 Jun 2008, 23:39

Yes, Cienu. How we humans complicate things! Instead of tackling differences and solving the problems at hand, we argue and augment them by emphasizing the differences! Rather than finding ways of overcoming problems by trying to understand them, we raise a hue and cry and stop there. If what I hear is true, many of the muslim countries don't even allow pictures of the gods to enter their countries even as a picture on a CD, let alone a statue of Nataraja! A religion which is against idol worship suddenly turns to what it assumed to be a cultural programme. As one knows very well, politics has entered the scene. Sigh...
On the other hand, just imagine packing up and leaving the hall! A noble gesture (for hinduism). But how about the child who worked hard on learning the art? The teacher, and all the preparations that went into it? At least, they were not asked to remove the statue from the hall!
Dancers in India take up themes which are secular. Do they begin their performances by performing puja to Nataraja? I have no idea. Someone might suggest to the parents: give up your jobs and return to India because of this...

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 18 Jun 2008, 09:34

I agree with you Arasi. For those who had worked so hard for the program , they would have been terribly disappointed by a cancellation.
Sad ! But Malaysia was a much better place even 5 years back.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 18 Jun 2008, 19:47

Freedom and Liberty are in our hearts and no body can take it away unless we give permission to it. External actions such as prohibiting statues should not deter us from doing what is allowed so children and those who were looking forward can still celebrate.