Arshiya Khan plays Goddess Durga in Yakshagana at Mangaluru temple

Arshiya Khan, a 33-year-old Muslim artiste from a village in Mada, Dakshina Kannada, played Goddess Durga in the Yakshagana play Sri Devi Mahatme at Mangaluru’s Shri Kadri Manjunatheswara Temple on 20 October. She trained for eight years under guru Ramesh Bhat at the Kadali Kala Kendra near the temple. The audience bowed to her as she came out in costume. She said neither Hindu nor Muslim groups opposed the performance, and her relatives called to congratulate her.