When Kumble spoke at Kumble

Yakshagana Academy Chairman and senior artiste Kumble Sundar Rao was felicitated at Kumble on January 15 as part of the annual festival-related programmes of Kumble temple. Felicitation was not new to 75-year old Kumble who carved a niche for himself in the Yakshagana world by his sheer mastery over dialogues. Yet, what he received at Kumble was unique because it was his birth place. He said it was a moment that he had been awaiting for too long and he would cherish it for the rest of his life.

The felicitation was preceded by a Talamaddale programme (see in picture) in which he played Karna against the lone other artiste Moodambailu Gopalakrishna Shastry as Krishna. The plot, of course, was Karnabhedana. Generally speaking, Karna's role in this prasanga is Kumble's masterpiece, but that day somehow Kumble appeared tired. Or for those who have already got used to listening to Kumble as Karna, it appeared as if he was trapped by his own previous versions of Karna.

The highlight, however, was Kumble's felicitation acceptance speech. The artiste, the activist and the analyst in Kumble came out in full life as he spoke relentlessly for over half an hour. He recalled the days that he had spent at Kumble, now part of Kerala. He spoke of a time when one could find an amateur Yakshagana association at every kilometre distance at Kumble. He remembered the senior artistes under whose tutelage he learned the basics of Yakshagana. He recollected the unforgettable anecdotes from his association with great artistes who are no more. He said that so much was the contribution of the Malayalam-speaking Kannadigas of Kumble region to Yakshagana that until only a decade ago the language of chowki (Yakshagana green room) in almost all professional melas was neither Kannada nor Tulu but Malayalam.

One more point from his speech may be of some interest to the readers of this blog:

That is, he said, if anyone wants to promote Yakshagana Talamaddale groups in Kumble region he would give a grant of Rs 5,000 towards the cost of musical instruments. This money is from his discretionary quota as chairman of the academy. Also, if anyone from any part of Karnataka has a good proposal to promote Yakshagana, he would help secure grants from the Government of Karnataka. He said he would personally arrange an audience with the chief minister to those who come up with such proposals.

Any takers?