A week of mythological dialogues in Bangalore

Earlier this month Yakshagana fans in Bangalore were treated to a week-long Taalamaddale programme, Yakshagana sans costume and dance. Many wellknown young and old artistes gathered at Basavanagudi to recreate a world of mythology just by their spoken word.

Taalammaddale has been rare in Bangalore although the number of Yakshagana shows has been on the increase of late. A week-long programme seems to be the first of its kind. The organisers, Durgamba Kalasangama, deserve appreciation.

Reports have it that 2000-odd audience included locals in addition to the coastal diaspora. Taalamaddale should be popularised in Bangalore because it, in addition to its artistic and literary merits, gives a rare opportunity to listen to 'unadulterated' Kannada. Perhaps it is the only platform where the language is spoken naturally in its purest possible version, at a time when an average Kannadiga cannot speak a sentence without a borrowed word, mostly from English.

Journalist Sudhanwa Deraje, who incidentally was one of the artistes who took part in the programme, has written an excellent curtain raiser and a review in his popular blog Champakavathi..

Photo: From champakavathi