Ashiq Haneefa beats down all his difficulties in life through his ardent passion towards classical dance. Even as his community and relatives tease him out of his feminine nature he survived it owing to his profound love for dance. He is a tenth standard student of Idukki Murikkaseri St. Mary’s High school.
Society always takes a contemptible view of queer behaviours. As Ashiq was learning Classical dance since childhood his behavior was of feminine nature. That brought him the teasing of friends, relatives, and neighbors which isolated him from his peers. During the last year district Kalolsavam, he was taunted by a contestant’s relative as calling him time and again ‘Shikandi’ for which Ashiq sued him in court. ‘Shikandi! why do you live’ they quipped Ashiq.
Ashiq’s dad passed away ten years ago due to heart attack and since then his elder brother and Ashik were looked after by his working mom. Ashiq’s parents’ marriage was mixed marriage but he was brought up in his father’s faith. He sees all religion as one and learned classical dance for years. He has been concentrating on Kuchipudi for the last three years. Ashiq says proudly that dance saved him from suicide due to the taunts and insults from the society.
This time too, Ashiq braved the stage with his Kuchipudi performance in the Kerala state kalolsavam.
Post Your Comments