ID :
9408
Thu, 06/05/2008 - 14:34
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http://m.oananews.org//node/9408
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DENIAL OF ON-STAGE BHARATANATYAM PUJA CREATES ROW IN MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur, Jun 5 (PTI) - Denial of permission to a local Bharatanatyam group to perform the customary on-stage 'puja' over reported concerns of "smoke and smell" has createda row between the troupe and Malaysian government organisers.
On Monday night, a group of Bharatanatyam dancers performed before a full gallery at the Taman Budaya public auditorium in Ipoh without conducting the puja, meant to invoke the blessings of Lord Nataraj, local media saidWednesday.
The venue's owner and the State Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Department permitted them to use the hall only if they did not install a statue or portrait of the deity andoffer their prayers on stage, New Straits Times said.
In the past, the dancers were allowed to offer their prayers on stage, said P. Sasikumar, a spokesman for the threedance schools which performed there.
"This time we were not allowed because the departmentimposed this condition," the paper quoted him as saying.
However, the department's public relations officer Shaliza Azlin said the organisers had agreed that the prayers would be performed backstage to respect the sensitivities ofthe audience, which also comprised Chinese and Malays.
"We did not stop them from doing the puja. We did notwant them to do it in public," the daily quoted her as saying.
Another daily 'Star' quoted a Unity, Culture, Arts Ministry Director Ramli Salleh as saying that they had asked the organisers not to conduct the ceremony as there was concern over the smoke and smell from the prayer itemslingering in the enclosed auditorium.
An ethnic Indian assembly speaker Sivakumar from Perak state, who was present, said he would take up the matter with the state government as well as his party so that such "intolerant behaviour" could be nipped in the bud before itbecame widespread, the 'New Straits Times' said.
On Monday night, a group of Bharatanatyam dancers performed before a full gallery at the Taman Budaya public auditorium in Ipoh without conducting the puja, meant to invoke the blessings of Lord Nataraj, local media saidWednesday.
The venue's owner and the State Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Department permitted them to use the hall only if they did not install a statue or portrait of the deity andoffer their prayers on stage, New Straits Times said.
In the past, the dancers were allowed to offer their prayers on stage, said P. Sasikumar, a spokesman for the threedance schools which performed there.
"This time we were not allowed because the departmentimposed this condition," the paper quoted him as saying.
However, the department's public relations officer Shaliza Azlin said the organisers had agreed that the prayers would be performed backstage to respect the sensitivities ofthe audience, which also comprised Chinese and Malays.
"We did not stop them from doing the puja. We did notwant them to do it in public," the daily quoted her as saying.
Another daily 'Star' quoted a Unity, Culture, Arts Ministry Director Ramli Salleh as saying that they had asked the organisers not to conduct the ceremony as there was concern over the smoke and smell from the prayer itemslingering in the enclosed auditorium.
An ethnic Indian assembly speaker Sivakumar from Perak state, who was present, said he would take up the matter with the state government as well as his party so that such "intolerant behaviour" could be nipped in the bud before itbecame widespread, the 'New Straits Times' said.
