A video of a young woman dancing inside the Srimanta Sankardeva Abirbhav Kshetra at Batadrava in Assam has caused strong public reaction after it began circulating on social media this week. The woman recorded a short dance reel to a Hindi song inside the holy complex and posted it online. The location where the video was shot is believed to be close to the Guru Asana and the sacred khol, which devotees consider highly respectful objects connected to religious tradition.
The Batadrava Than is located at the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva in Nagaon district. It is one of the most important spiritual sites for Vaishnavite followers in Assam. The cultural and religious complex has been developed over the years and was formally inaugurated on December 29 by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The site attracts a large number of devotees and visitors from different parts of the state and beyond.
After the dance video appeared online, it spread quickly and triggered criticism from many people. Several social media users said that filming entertainment content inside such a holy place was not appropriate. They expressed the view that places of worship should be visited with a sense of respect and devotion and should not be used as backdrops for social media content. 
Many people pointed out that the Guru Asana and the khol hold deep religious meaning for devotees and are seen as sacred symbols of the Vaishnavite faith. Because of this, the act of dancing and filming in front of them was seen as insensitive and hurtful. Some users said that even if the dancer did not intend to disrespect the site, greater care should be taken while visiting religious or cultural heritage locations.
Amid growing criticism, the woman in the video, identified as Yesminara Begum, released an apology through a video posted on Facebook. In her statement, she said that she had not known that the place where she filmed was the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva and a holy site. She said she had unknowingly made a mistake and expressed regret for the incident. She also requested the public to forgive her and said there was no intention to hurt the sentiments of anyone.
