Gods love Yakshagana. Or, that is what at least the people of Karnataka's Yakshagana belt believe.
Many people love and sponsor Yakshagana because the art is dear to God. So you have all the four troupes of Kateel temple booked for the next 25 years. Yet, the role of this 'derived love' for the art in sustaining its popularity defies any simple conclusion. Noted artiste Surikumeri Govinda Bhat says in his autobiography that it will not take Yakshagana too far. Anyway, that is a separate topic.
A related issue is that Yakshagana is also part of temple rituals. In some temples Yakshagana dance is performed as part of the rituals related to annual temple festival. One
can see it in Kumble Gopala Krishna temple on the second day of the annual festival. As the deity' s image is carried along the circumambluation of the temple, Yakshagana dance is performed (in picture) by the artistes of Kateel troupe for one round of the circular procession. They perform facing the deity's image on the priest's head and hence move backwards as they dance.
In Kasaragod district, a similar ritual is followed in Kudlu Gopalakrishna temple. Both temples had professional troupes operating in their names years ago.
Details on Yakshagana as a form of worship can be found in Kukkila Krishna Bhat's book 'Parthisubbana Yakshaganagalu' (1975, Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe, Mysore)
Many people love and sponsor Yakshagana because the art is dear to God. So you have all the four troupes of Kateel temple booked for the next 25 years. Yet, the role of this 'derived love' for the art in sustaining its popularity defies any simple conclusion. Noted artiste Surikumeri Govinda Bhat says in his autobiography that it will not take Yakshagana too far. Anyway, that is a separate topic.
A related issue is that Yakshagana is also part of temple rituals. In some temples Yakshagana dance is performed as part of the rituals related to annual temple festival. One
can see it in Kumble Gopala Krishna temple on the second day of the annual festival. As the deity' s image is carried along the circumambluation of the temple, Yakshagana dance is performed (in picture) by the artistes of Kateel troupe for one round of the circular procession. They perform facing the deity's image on the priest's head and hence move backwards as they dance.In Kasaragod district, a similar ritual is followed in Kudlu Gopalakrishna temple. Both temples had professional troupes operating in their names years ago.
Details on Yakshagana as a form of worship can be found in Kukkila Krishna Bhat's book 'Parthisubbana Yakshaganagalu' (1975, Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe, Mysore)
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