KOCHI: It was planned to be a mega Bharatanatyam performance by 12,000 dancers, led by actor-dancer Divyaa Unni. The song composed for the occasion was penned by renowned lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, set to music by his son Deepankuran, and performed by Anoop Sankar. And the Kaloor Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium looked ready to host the event, which involved months of training and practice.
Clad in green saree, the dancers lined up. But, what transpired soon after was a mishap involving Thrikkakara MLA UMA Thomas, who fell 15ft from a temporary stage set up in the VIP gallery.
She was rushed to hospital, as organisers scampered to control the situation. Despite the confusion and commotion, the mega performance, organised by Mridanga, was staged.
The event was inaugurated by Minister for Cultural Affairs Saji Cherian. Themed Kailasam, the event entered the Guinness World Record for the most number of bharatanatyam dancers performing together. Kaithapram, actor Sijoy Varghese, and others, were also in attendance.
“We could not afford to cancel or postpone the event as officials from the Guinness World Records were present. So, the eight-minute dance programme was conducted,” a spokesperson for the event said.
He added that dance recitals planned for the dais were cancelled. “No speeches were made after the mishap. Performances involving actors were also cancelled,” the spokesperson said.
A person at the venue said Uma Thomas was on the stage to attend the inaugural ceremony.
“As she leaned on the handrail on the edge of the 15ft-high stage she lost her balance and fell down near the entrance to the field,” he said.
According to a police officer who was on duty, the incident happened around 6 pm.
“The event had not started then. The seats were still filling up. Immediately after the accident, police and other officials intervened and rushed the MLA to hospital,” the officer said.
“The 35,000-capacity stadium was packed to the rafters. More than 50,000 people attended the event,” he added.