Complaint after temple denies entry to Muslim Bharatanatyam dancer

The Tamil Nadu government has filed a complaint against a man for allegedly stopping a well-known Bharatanatyam dancer from entering a temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department said the Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple denied Zakir Hussain entry on grounds of religion.

Police in Srirangam said Hussain, who had visited the temple on several occasions, came to offer prayers on December 10. As he was entering the temple premises, Hussain was stopped by a man – an “activist” – named Rangarajan Narasimhan, who said only Hindus were permitted to enter. 

Narasimhan allegedly abused Hussain and pushed him to the exit. The police added that Hussain has also lodged a complaint against Narasimhan.

Hussain shared the incident on his social media page. He said Narasimhan made unsavoury remarks about his religion. Later Hussain shared pictures of him getting treatment at a hospital for high blood pressure and dizziness.

Narasimhan also took to Twitter and justified his actions in a series of tweets.

“This guy, Zakir Hussain, a Muslim by birth and practice who abuses Sanathana Dharmis in his facebook/twitter was seen inside Srirangam Temple today. I had to show him the door. Archakas of this temple have no sense whatsoever? If he wants to claim to be a SD why didn’t he convert?” he tweeted.

Narasimhan shared a picture of the temple board, which read that only Hindus are allowed beyond a point. He said he had also complained online with the Srirangam police.

Hussain is a recipient of the Kalaimamani Award by the Tamil Nadu government.

Legendary playback singer and Carnatic music exponent K J Yesudas, a Christian, is yet to be allowed to enter the famous Sree Krishna temple in Guruvayur because of his religion. “If I had been born as a cockroach or a fly, it would have been possible for me to enter the Guruvayur Temple,” he was quoted as saying in 2018.

In 2017 the singer was allowed entry into Kerala’s famed Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram after years of waiting and singing for the Hindu deities.