Rangasthala

Subraya Holla's Raktabheejasura

2012-02-08T05:49:00.000-08:00

In Devi Mahatme episode, pious and fiery demon Raktabheejasura's is a unique character and is eagerly awaited by Yakshagana enthusiasts. Here is how senior artiste Kasaragodu Subraya Holla plays it to bhagavata Prafulla Chandra Nellyadi's score taruniyallavalaadi maaye. Compare this with another senior artiste Peruvai Narayana Shetty's Raktabheejasura by clicking on this link.

Apoorva: Breaking new ground

2012-02-08T05:19:00.000-08:00

This Youtube post of a performance by Dharmasthala troupe at Surathkal on February 04 seems interesting. The post has no more details but what is obvious is two local young talents have been allowed on the stage to play Chende (Apoorva) and Maddale (her younger brother) for peetike (playing background musical instruments for over 10 minutes after invocation dances and before the start fo the main plot). The youngsters' interest in Yakshagana and the troupe's willingness to allow the local amateur talents on the stage are welcome indeed!

Five Kateel troupes begin tour

2011-11-21T02:28:00.000-08:00

After Mandarthi troupe, the five troupes of Kateel temple launched their tour for the season with the inaugural performance in the temple last evening. All the five troupes performed simulataneously for the invocation sequences and then artistes from all the five troupes performed on one stage. Like Mandarthi troupes, the shows of all the Kateel troupes have been booked in advance for the next two decades.

Five Mandarthi troupes set out...

2011-11-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

It was that annual event in Mandarthi last night. As it has been a ritual since the time immemorial, all the troupes run by the temple, now five in number, gave simultaneous performances on five stages to mark the beginning of the new Yakshagana season. The grand spectacle was well attended and keenly watched by the people of this region for its performative as well as ritualistic value. In the morning each of the five troupes set out in different directions to give performances without a break till they all are back in the same venue sometime in May to conclude the year's (2011-12) rounds... Each of these troupes has an advanced booking for at least two decades as of this year.

Watch the video in http://www.udayavani.com/

Harinarayana's Mahishasura

2011-11-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

A scene from the recent presentation of Mahishasuramardini at Shimoga by Theatreyaksha, Udupi. Harinarayana Edaneeru asMahishasura and Shashikantha Shetty Karkala as Malini...

The season starts

2011-11-09T23:29:00.000-08:00

The Yakshagana season 2011-12 has begun. The strip of ads on one of the last pages of Udayavani announcing the day's Yakshagana programmes, which disappeared in May this year with the onset of monsoon, is back today. So, from now on till May-2012 watch out this space in Udayavani if you want to know where all the troupes are....Only three troupes are out right now, and the list will grow to have up to nearly 30 troupes in the next few days...

Mahishasuramardini: Theatreyaksha show in Shimoga

2011-11-09T01:08:00.000-08:00

Picture on the poster: Shambayya Kanjarpane as Suparshwaka in one of the previous presentation of Mahishasuramardini. Photo by Santosh Pai.

Dharmastala troupe to stage 198 shows this season

2011-11-05T23:29:00.000-07:00

Dharmasthala troupe has announced its schedule for the 2011-12 Yakshagana season (See Udayavani November 6, Manipal Edn, page 11). The troupe is going to play a total of 198 shows which include six performances in Dharmasthala temple, two to mark the beginning of the season and four as part of the closure ceremony. The first performance in Dharmasthala is on November 12. There is no major change in the list of artistes. Most of the camps are in Udupi-Kundapara region as usual and the troupe will travel as far as Shimoga and Bhadravati, Koppa and Shringeri besides places in the traditional Yakshgana belt comprising Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod Districts.

Kuriya Ganapathi Shastry: A passionate Bhagavatha

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Udayavani has an extremely well-written profile of Kuriya Ganapathi Shastry who enjoys a unique place in the tradition of tenku (southern) style of Yakshagana singing, next only to Balipa Narayana Bhagavata. A passionate Bhagavata who retired last year from one of the Kateel troupes is perhaps the last Bhagavata in tenku style to have commanded a total control of the stage. A graduate, Ganapathi Shastry started his career in a nationalised bank but lost his job as he was active in anti-emergency movement during 1975-76. Perhaps he could have got his job back after the emergency but by then he was content in his new career as a Yakshagana singer.

Then on he led one of the Kateel troupes and took its signature shows of Devi Mahatme to great heights by guiding and inspiring young and seasoned artistes, with his own lilting tunes adding a great value to their perfomances.

Pic by Sathya Ganapathi

Now leading a retired life at his ancestoral home (pic above) in Kurudupadavu in Kasaragod District, Shastry is greatly missed in the shows of Kateel troupes.

The bhagavata will be felicitated at Kallugundi in Sullia Taluk tomorrow as part of the annual Keelaru Gopalakrishnaiah memorial Sampage Yakshagana festival....

Click here for a sample of his songs...

10 bhagavatas, 70 artistes, four prasangas and one night!

2011-11-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

Ten bhagavathas, 11 chende-maddale players, over 70 artistes, four prasangas, and one night. That is annual Kallugundi Yakshagana! And this year it is on November 5. Organised by an affluent family, this is by far the largest annual festival of Yakshagana in which almost all the known names of Yakshagana world are called upon to either perform or to be present. Those who had been to it in the past say it is more fanfare than performance, and more extravagance than genuine patronage. Yet the fact remains that it is an organisational challenge to bring so many artistes together for a single night's performance but met effectively year after year. So it holds a lot of symbolic, if not substantive, value to the sustenance of the theatre of Yakshagana
Below is a video clip of Kallugundi aata of one of the previous years...

Kadathoka Manjunatha Bhagavatha no more

2011-10-30T22:41:00.000-07:00

Kadathoka Manjunatha Bhagavatha, who was well versed in both southern and northern styles and had been the main bhagavatha of Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Yakshagana Mandali for decades passed away last night after a prolonged illness. The Bhagavatha was awarded this year's Parthi Subba Award by the Karnataka Government two months ago. He came to receive the award on a wheel-chair.

Known in the Yakshagana circles as a highly talented experimenter, he presented several mythological episodes, especially those scripted by Amrutha Someshwara, in great glory. He was ably assisted by his contemporary chende-maddale player Chipparu Krishnayya Ballal in his innovations on the stage. He served the Dharmasthala troupe during its heyday when it had some of the all-time great artistes. He had also started a Yakshagana magazine in Kannada which is now being edited by his son.

Listen to a sample of Kadathoka's songs of Krishnaleele episode here along with young Bhagavatha Patla Satish Shetty's

Read a report in the Hindu about Kadatoka when he was chosen for Mangalore University Yakshagana Kendra Award

Wanted: Part-time Yakshagana artistes

2011-10-30T02:41:00.000-07:00

In what seems to be the first-of-its-kind, this "wanted advertisement" seeking to recruit amateurYakshagana artistes on a part-time basis, appeared in today's Udayavani. The ad has been inserted by Yakshamanjusha, Mangalore.

Yakshamanjusha, launched by Vidya Kolyur gives tenkutittu Yakshagana performances all over the country. It is also known for its Yakshagana perforances in Hindi language...The picture below is of a scene from Panchavati performend by Yakshamanjusha in Udupi Rajangana in 2009.

Pic: From the collection of students of MIC, Manipal

Yakshagana and Kuchipudi

2011-10-29T05:35:00.000-07:00

This year's Deepavali special issue (Deepaavali visheshaanka) of Udayavani has an eight page feature which has renowned Kuchipudi exponent Vaijayanti Kashi and front-ranking Yakshagana artiste Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna in an informal discussion on the similarities and differences between Kuchupudi and Yakshagana. The discussion covers many historical and contemporary issues relating to both Yakshagana and Kuchupudi and their possible future directions. Read part of the feature here. For the full version visit: http://www.udayavani.com/

Hoovinakolu in Bangaluru

2011-10-28T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hoovinakolu, one of the many variants of Yakshagana tradition, in which young boys are initiated into the skill of Yakshagana dialogue delivery, is an offseason activity that the artistes engage in, culminating during the Deepavali time. In Hoovinakolu, the himmela players with two or three boys will visit houses of Yakshagana enthusiasts and give a sort of talamaddale programme in which the boys will assume various roles and deliver the dialogues improvising on the songs sung by the bhagavata, the main singer.
Generally in vogue in the northern parts of Yakshagana belt in coastal Karnataka, Hoovinakolu is being introduced to Yakshagana enthusiasts in Bangalore by Gundmi Raghurama Bhagavata and his team. In order to make it more attractiveto the uninitiated in the city, Raghuram Bhagavata's variety of Hoovinakolu has two Balagopala type characters with full costumes dancing...

Legendary artistes of yesteryears-1

2011-10-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

Kumble Kutyappu who lived in the first half of the last century was known for his feary demon roles (bannada vesha) although he was an allrounder artiste who could play even female roles and jesters equally well. He was also famous for his facial make-up skills. As Kumble Sundar Rao observes in his autobiography Sundara Kanda, Kutyappu could be arguably the greatest of the artistes specialised in playing demon roles but he lived in an age when Yakshagana was yet to receive any media attention. Great performances of Kutyappu went unnoticed and un-documented. He himself was unaware of his greatness and lived a quiet life of poverty and met with a tragic death...

Yakshagana scholar Ramachandra Ucchila wrote as follows in a 1961 publication:ಸುಮಾರು ೩೦ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿ೦ದಿನ ಮಾತು. ಆಗ ನಾನಿನ್ನೂ ಸಣ್ಣವ.....ಕು೦ಭಕರ್ಣ ಕಾಳಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಕು೦ಭಕರ್ಣನ ಶ್ವಾಸೋಚ್ಚಾಸದ ಬಿರುಗಾಳಿಯ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ ಕಲ್ಪನೆ ನನಗೆ ಯಾವ ನಾಟಕ, ಸಿನೆಮಾದಲ್ಲಿಯು ಉ೦ಟಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಕು೦ಬಳೆ ಕುಟ್ಯಪ್ಪು ಅರ್ಧ ಗ೦ಟೆಯ ಅವಕಾಶದಲ್ಲಿ ರ೦ಗಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟ ಒ೦ದು ಮುರುಕಲು ರಥದ ಮೇಲೆ ಮಲಗಿ ಝ್ಹ೦ಝಾವಾತವನ್ನೇ ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷಮಾಡಿಕೊ೦ಡರು. ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕಿಯ ಕು೦ಭಕರ್ಣನನ್ನು ನಾವು ಮರೆಯಬಹುದು. ಆದರೆ ಕು೦ಬಳೆ ಕುಟ್ಯಪ್ಪುವಿನ ಕು೦ಭಕರ್ಣನನ್ನು ಎಷ್ಟು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಪಟ್ಟರೂ ನಮ್ಮ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಪಟಲದಿ೦ದ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದು..ಕುಟ್ಯಪ್ಪು ಯಾವ ರಾಕ್ಷಸನ ಬಣ್ಣಬರೆದರೂ ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ನಡುಗಿಸಿ ಬಿಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಅವರಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಅವರ ಒ೦ದು ಹೂ೦ಕಾರದಿ೦ದ ನಮ್ಮ ಎದೆ ಒಡೆಯಲೇ ಬೇಕು..

Kodangi aka Dauru....

2011-10-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

Traditional Yakshagana shows start with kodangi (also known as Dauru) dance. Generally performed by the apprentice artistes, this part of poorvaranga (invocation dances) has been given a go by in most Yakshagana presentations of late. In tenkutittu, only Kateel troupes' shows still start with Kodangi dance but even there it is the most neglected part.

Most of the times some green room assistants are forced to perfom this and they do it so ridiculously that it is better do way it rather than continue it in its present shape (watch this audio, for example) and make the audience squirm. However, some amateur trupes these days present this traditional part of Yakshagana in its full glory. The pictures here are of such attempts by theatreyaksha of Udupi in their recent shows....The artistes are: Pavan Kumar (left) and Rahul Kumar...both students of Alva's Mudubidri..

Pics: Santhosh Pai

From heart to home to wedding card

2011-10-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

The love of Yakshagana often spills over into personal space as well. So, you have Kumble Sundar Rao naming his house as Yakshanugraha and Amrita Someshwara's house is full of models of Yakshagana artifacts integrated into the the designs of walls, windows and pillars. Here is how the cover page design of the invitation card for the wedding of the daughter of a leading Yakshagana artiste-cum-scholar looked...

Memories of leaflets....

2011-10-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

The leaflet above announces a monsoon Yakshagana show at Mittanadka in Dakshina Kannada district on October 31. The all-night show will have five episodes, featuring select artistes from various professional troupes….

A leaflet like this one, now seen once in a while for an off season show like this, was so much part of the publicity for a Yakshagana show during the heyday of commercial tent-Yakshagana. Notice the words Banniri, nodiri, aananda padeyiri (do come, watch and enjoy) - these were the words to be found invariably in a tent-Yakshagana leaflet and are sure to take Yakshagana fans who belong to that age down memory lane…..

Listen thou the lotus eyed....Scene from Sudhanwarjuna

2011-10-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

ನಳಿನಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೇಳೆ ಈಗ...

A scene from Sudhanwarjuna played by Kateel Troupe 4...Date: January 15, 2009, Place: Kumble Temple in Kasaragod District of Kerala State
Artistes: Vatepadpu Vishnu Sharma (Sudhanwa); Thodikana Vishwanatha Gowda (Prabhavati)

Song:
ನಳಿನಾಕ್ಷಿ ಕೇಳೆ ಈಗ
ನರನೊಡನೆ ಕಾಳಗಕೈದುವೆನು ಬೇಗ
ಕಳವಳಿಸಬೇಡ ಮನದಿ
ಕು೦ತಿಸುತಗಳುಕುವನಲ್ಲ ರಣದಿ

Listen thou the lotus eyed
On my way to battle with Nara
I ask you to harbour no anxiety
For I have no fear to fight the son of Kunti

When Mahishasura comes riding on a jeep

2011-10-10T07:05:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana is supposed to create a world of mythology what with its georgeous costumes, creative make-up, high-decible music and songs sung in a style unique to this semi-folk theatre. But the lure of mixing it all with the symbols of modernity is too much to resist. Mahishasura, the baffalo-headed demon of Devi Mahatme episode here comes to the stage riding on a jeep.

For a long time now it has been a practice to arrange the entry of this demon character from the front of the stage after a short torch-bearing procession from a distant point to the accompniment of some extra orchestra. But these days the procession gets unduly long with all sorts of items included as you can see in this video. Sometimes Mahishasura comes riding on a jeep, elsewhere riding on a motor bike and so on...That is part of the festivalisation of Yakshagana.

A bit annoyed with all these, the priest of Kateel temple (Hari Narayana Asranna) recently got the performance reviewed by a group of senior artistes and scholars where it was resolved that in Kateel troupe performances Mahishasura's procession should not take more than 15 minutes to reach the stage.... That says nothing about what the procession should feature and what it should not..so Mahishasura may continue come riding on a jeep, a bike or a Maruti SX4

Pics: Santhosh Pai

Mangaladevi folds up: End of commercial troupes in Tenkutittu

2011-10-09T09:46:00.000-07:00

The last surviving commercial Tenkutittu Yakshagana troupe, Shri Mangaladevi Yakshagana Mandali, Mangalore, has slipped into history.

According to informed sources in the Yakshagana circles the troupe has folded up and its artistes will be redeployed to Saligrama and Madamakki troupes which are also owned by Mangaladevi troupe's owner.

The main reason for the discontinuation of the troupe is said to be the shortage of background singers.
The troupe's main Bhagavata is said to have joined Mandarti troupe this year. After a futile search for a replacement for sometime, the troupe owner finally decided to call it to a close.

With this an era has come to an end in Tenkutittu Yakshagana history. Now all the southern style troupes that remain in the trade are charity show troupes.

For over 60 years, the commercial troupes which used to give ticketed shows existed although their golden age came to an end by the close of the last century.

Badagutittu has two commercial troupes - Shri Guruprasadita Yakshagana Mandali Saligrama and Sri Ananthapadmanabha Yakshagana Mandali, Perduru...

Begar's students perform in Bangalore

2011-10-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

Gana Saurabha Yaksagana Mandali of veteran Yaksagana ariste Begar Shivakumar performed Bhasmasura Mohini at Shri Shiradi Sai Baba Mandir, J.P. Nagar, Bangalore tonight as part of Navarathri Celebrations. The cast had a mix of senior artistes and children undergoing training under Shivakumar who is one of the popular Yakshagana teachers in the city now after his stints in several professional troupes including the famous Dharmathala troupe. Here are a few pictures. In the one above Rishika, a fourth standard student, who performed Vayu, is seen with her Guru.

Child artistes who played Dikpalas pose for a picture after their performance...

Devendra's Court

Chandamundas and their costumes

2011-10-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

Chandasura and Mundasura, two demons, generally called Chandamundaru, are one of the key attractions of Devi Mahatme. They appear in the latter half the episode. These two trusted lieutenants of demon king Shumbhasura are the first to find the Goddess Mahammaye, who is on a mission to annihilate Shumbhasura, sitting on a golden swing hanging from the skye, at the hitherto imaginary Kadambavana. Mesmerized by their description of the lonely lady, Shumbhasura sends her the word through his minister Sugreeva that he intends to marry her. Her reply through Sugreeva, who comes back as her devotee, is that she would marry only the one who could fight and win her....After sending a series of demons to forcibly get her, all in vain, Shumbhasura himself approaches her only to get killed by her in a fierce battle....
Chandamundas enter the stage past midnight to the high decible background music and are known to wake up the audience who might be dozing aftter seeing the death of Mahishasura a little earlier. The vigorous dancing and witty dialogues between the demon brothers and between them and the Goddess, improvising on songs such as arare ivalentha vitakaare, node Smarana koorganeyantihalu neere (what an illusionary figure is she resembling the arrow of Smara) are among the keenly watched part of the episode. When Shumbhasura sends them back to her to drag her out of the swing and make her stand in front of him, Chanda and Munda, loyal as they are to their master, fight with the Goddess who transforms herself as Chandike and kills them...

Pictures here present the two demons in two different types of costumes - the first one is what has been popularly used over the years drawing on Tulu Yakshagana costumes (In Tulu Yakshagana villains have similar costumes) and also from company drama costumes, whereas the second picture presents them in what could be described as traditional Yakshagana costumes but this does not seem to go too well with the characters that they represent....

How does it look?

2011-10-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is how Bangalore Ravindra Kalakshetra's stage appeared the other day as Perdur Troupe played Banashankari Mahatme. The stage was full of banners of sponsors but that seems inevitable for Yakshagana organisers to raise funds these days. The picture below is of one of the opening scenes of the episode. Does it look like a Yakshagana scene at all?. The drama costumes are a bane of Yakshagana but that also has been accepted as unavoidable for reasons best known to the troupe managers and artistes...

Govinda Bhat's Raktabheeja

2011-09-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

Veteran Thenkutittu (Southern) Yakshagana artiste Surukumeri Govinda Bhat played demon Raktabheejasura's role in a recent presentation of Devi Mahatme at Bajpe. This is how he appeared on the stage....

See below how he posed for Balipa Bhagavata's song Dhanujesha Kelenna maataa.....

ಧನುಜೇಶ ಕೇಳೆನ್ನ ಮಾತಾ

ನೀ ಬರಿದೆಚಿ೦ತಿಸುವುದೇಕೆ ಲೊಕವಿಖ್ಯಾತ
ಮನಸಿಜ ಶರಕೆ ಸಿಲುಕುತ್ತಾ
ಆ ವನಿತೆಯ ವರಿಸುವೆನೆನುತ ಮನದಿ ಯೋಚಿಸುತ್ತಾ...

Listen oh the Lord of demons
Let worries not overtake you the most famed of the universe
Hit by the arrows of the God of Love
You are deep in thoughts of conquering that damsel's heart....

Shashikanth's Malini 2: Kelenna sukumaara khalakuloddhaara...

2011-09-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

ಕೇಳೆನ್ನ ಸುಕುಮಾರ ಖಳಕುಲೋದ್ಧಾರಾ
ಹೇಳಿ ಫಲವೇನು ಕೀರ್ತಿ ಸಾಕಾರಾ
ಕಾಲಗಕೆ ಸುರರೊಡನೆ ತೆರಲಿ ನಿನ್ನಯ್ಯ
ಕಾಲವಾದರು ಧುರದೊಳೇನೆ೦ಬೆ ಪರಿಯಾssss

Hear oh my good son
The saviour of demons that are thou
But it is futile for you the renowned to know
That in the battles with the angels
How I utter to you that killed was your father...

Pic: Santhosh Pai

Shashikanth's Malini 1: Pathiye nee madideyallaa

2011-09-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

ಪತಿಯೇ ನೀ ಮಡಿದೆಯಲ್ಲಾ
ಎನಗೆ ಈ ಪಾಳು ಗತಿಯೂ ಬ೦ತೊದಗಿತಲ್ಲಾ
ಖತಿಯಿ೦ದ ಸುರರೊಡನೇ ಕಾಳಗದಲ್ಲಿ
ಕೃತಕದೀ ಗೆಲಿದರೇ ನಿನ್ನನೇssss

You are dead! Oh my dear husband

Leaving me in a state pithy wretched

Fighting valorously with the angels

They won you by means most trecherous

Pics: Santhosh Pai

Kaaminee Karedu Taare....

2011-09-21T02:36:00.000-07:00

ಈ ಮಹೀಯೊಳಗಿ೦ತಾ ಪುರುಷರುಳ್ಳರೇ ಕಾ೦ತೇ...

This was the best mukhya streevesha dance (part of Yakshagana poorvaranga) I have watched in a long time. Two girls - Shri Raksha Udyavara and Ashwini Kondadakuli danced to the tune of Prasad Cherkadi (picture below)

Pictures by Santhosh Pai

Malini, Mahishasura and others in Devimahatme-recast

2011-09-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Taking a cue from the recent review of the popular episode Devi Mahatme by the Kanataka Yakshagana Academy, Udupi's Theatreyaksha presented a new version of Devi Mahatme at Alva's Educational Campus in Mudubidre last evening. Here is how Malini, in the glory of Yakshagana costumes, looked in the show...

Leading female-role artiste Shashikanta Shetty Karkala played Malini. Seasoned artiste from Dharmashala troupe Ubaradka Umesh Shetty played Mahishasura in the new costumes...

This is how the famous scene of Malini breaking the news of the death of his father to Mahishasura unfolded on the stage ...

This is the first ever show of Devi Mahatme in revised costumes and make-up. The picture above shows how the final scene unfolded. Prashant Nelyadi played Devi.

Prasad Cherkadi and Prithviraja Kavattar sang for the show which also used Bharavi Deraje's lighting support...

Guru Kargal Vishweshara Bhat directed the show and played Devendra. Peruvai Narayana Bhat and team were on Chende and maddale

(All the pictures are by SanthoSh Pai)

A guru's thoughtful eyes...

2011-09-19T00:51:00.000-07:00

Celebrated Yakshagana guru (northern style) Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna in a contemplative mood watching some Yakshagna photography by Santhosh Pai of Udupi

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme!

2011-09-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Season 2011-12: Saligrama mela to set out on Nov 16

2011-09-11T03:40:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana season 2011-12 will begin in two months from now. Already one of the four existing commercial troupes (tent mela), Sri Guruprasadita Yakshagana Mandali, Saligrama, has announced that it is going to start on November 16. The new episodes planned for the season are: Pratijna Pallavi and Swadi Saugandika. Interestingly, the advertisement says Swadi Saugandika is written by one of the popular new age swamis in Bangalore, Dr Santhosh Guruji! This Ayurvedic-doctor-turned swami's connections to Yakshagana is not known much otherwise excpet that he was present when the fifth mela of Mandarti temple was launched in November 2010. The advertisement does not say whether it is a mythological plot or an imaginary fare just as Pratijna Pallavi by Dr. Y.S. Chandrashekhara Shetty. And then there is also Saligrama Kshetrotpati by Sri H. Shridhara Hande of Saligrama Makkala mela (children's troupe) fame. All Kshetramahatme (local temple legend) episodes have played a havoc with Yakshagana's artistic features over the years but since this one is by a veteran who is known for organising quality performances by child artistes, one hopes it to be different. Anyway, it is curious to see how many shows are going to be booked for the season.

Although there are around 30 organised troupes which perform regularly during the season, Saligrama, along with Perduru (Badagu) and Mangaladevi (tenku) are the only commercial troupes now in operation.

A perspiring affair, indeed!

2011-09-07T06:31:00.000-07:00

Performing in Yakshagana is a tough and tedious task. Staying awake being physically active and mentally alert all through the night wearing layers and layers of costumes during hot summer months demands physical stammina and mental resolve. In these days of plenty of alternative employment avenues, if Yakshagana continues o attract youngsters to perform it is just because of their love for the art and nothing else. Observe how the artiste in the pictures above with relatively lighter costumes is sweating profusely on the stage, yet remaining cheerful... (Prasanga: Mandarti Kshetra Mahateme; Mela: Mandarti; Place Mandarti Temple; Month May)

Shortage of background musicians hits Dharmasthala mela

2011-09-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

The famed Dharmasthala troupe is facing a serious shortage of background musicians (himmelavaadakas), said the troupe owner, D. Harshendra Kumar. He was speaking at this year's Parthi Subba Award presentation ceremony at Bajpe last week.

"It is very difficult to find trained people for bhagavatike (singing) and for playing chende and maddale. If you find them then it is difficult to retain them. They demand unsustainably high remuneration these days" Harshendra Kumar said.

The troupe has two long-standing singers: Puttige Raghurama Holla and Siribagilu Ramakrishna Mayya. However, attrition rate has been high among the sangeetakaras (the bhagavata who sings for the invocation dance sequences), and chende and maddale players. The musicians shown in the two pictures above are no longer in the troupe, for example...

Academy releases directory of Yakshagana artistes

2011-09-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana Bayalata Academy has brought out a two-volume directory of Yakshagana artistes. The directory has brief profiles of nearly over 600 Yakshagana artistes of both tenku and badagu schools. The profile includes a half page write-up, a passport size photo and contact details of the artiste. The directory introduces many artistes for the first time to the outside world. It is also useful as reference work for researchers. Each volume is priced at Rs 100.

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 6: Jesters get their due

2011-09-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

The model Devi Mahatme staged last week had jester characters in new costumes. The rationale is that they should look appropriate to the context. The priest who performs the wedding of Malini with Vidyunmali, for example, looks like an ordinary Brahmin priest in Devi Mahatme performances. That is incongruous because all other characters are of demons. So, it was pointed out during the review that the priest should also look like a demon. Hence the changes (See the picture above). Some changes have also been made to the constumes of the character of Deva Doota (the messenger of Gods) as can be seen in the picture below..

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 5: Suparshwaka to look different

2011-08-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

For long the character of rishis (sages) in Yakshagana resembled how they look in Chandamama stories. Now, even rishis will have costumes of their own to make them look on par with the costumes of other characters if the decision taken at the review of Devi Mahatme episode last week is implemented. The picture shows how the sage Suparshwaka has been presented in Yakshagana costumes in a model show of Devi Mahatme..

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 4: Devi in two hands, lion sans mask

2011-08-31T03:43:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana is a theatre of imaginations. Its success lies in creating a make-belief world on a simple stage. There is no place for any real objects on the stage to enhance effects. Any attempt to make it real is sure to kill the spirit of the threate of Yakshagana. Yet, any number of attempts to bring real objects to the stage has been happening over the years. In Devi Mahatme, for example, Devi is suppose to appear with eight hands. A ten-headed Ravana comes with just one head in Yakshagana and the rest of the heads are created in the minds of the audience. But Devi is shown with eight hands by tying six more artificial plastic hands making the character look like a statue. Now, it has been decided to give up the extra hands and show her in just two hands as in the picture above...Similarly, the Lion, which is believed to Devi's vehicle in the battlefield, now comes in true Yakshagana style (picture below) instead of the usual masked Lion...

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 3: Madhu Kaitabhas get traditional costumes

2011-08-29T02:51:00.000-07:00

For a long time now, the two demon characters in the first part of Devi Mahatme - Madhu and Kaitabha - have been presented with costumes popular in modern Tulu version of Yakshagana, ie with no headgear and long open hair flowing in the back. Even in northern style this cosutmes have been copied of late although the northern style has its own tradition of costumes for demon characters. The review last week led to a decision to use only the traditional Yakshagana costumes for Madhu and Katiabha as shown in the picture above (picture below shows them in the existing costumes). This is a decision that the five Kateel troupes have agreed to follow from this year onwards.

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 2: No more drama costumes for Trimurthis

2011-08-28T05:59:00.000-07:00

The opening scene of Devi Mahatme presents Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (the Trinity) on the stage praying to their creator Adi Maye who stands on the ratha (a traditional stool on the stage for the characters to sit). Over the years the Trinity characters have been wearing drama costumes although each of these characters has designated costumes in Yakshagana tradition. One of the decisions of the last week's scrutiny of Devi Mahatme is to present the Trinity in Yakshagana costumes. See the difference in the two pictures. The picture above shows the Trinity in distinct Yakshagana costumes and the one below, in commonplace drama costumes...

Bringing Yakshagana back to Devi Mahatme 1..Kateel priest's historic initiative

2011-08-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

It is hard to see a tenkutittu Yakshagana in its traditional form these days. Most of what passes as a Tenkutittu performance is nothing but a company drama with Yakshagana background music and horribly disfigured Yakshagana costumes. Nowhere was this compromise so complete as in the presentation of Devi Mahatme, the popular episode that accounts roughly 50 per cent of total Yakshagana performances in Tenku style in a year. Devi Mahatme is mostly performed by the five troupes of Kateel temple. In the name of making it attractive to the people, all the five troupes over the years have made such a mess of it that there is nothing unique of Yakshagana remains in a typical Devi Mahatme presentation. It starts with what looks like a school day drama scene and ends with a bhoota kola scene with a few barely Yakshagana-like elements here and there.

Most of those who were concerned about this trend could not do much but finally, the priest of Kateel temple, Mr Harinarayana Asranna, himself was convinced that it was time to save Devi Mahatme from the devil of "popularisation." With a team of like-minded artistes and scholars, mainly Mr Vasudeva Ranga Bhat, and the assistance of Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy, he had the entire Devi Mahatme presentation scrutinized the other day scene by scene. On August 26, a Yakshagana model of Devi Mahatme was staged by select artistes from all the five troupes amidst subtle and open protests from the statusquoists, most of them being the artistes themselves. The alibi for not changing was that it would hurt the sentiments of the devotees who spend a fortune and wait for decades to get a Devi Mahatme performance by one of the five troupes staged. The devotees sponsor Devi Mahatme because they believe that the presiding diety of the Kateel temple is fond of Yakshagana and therefore organising a Yakshagana show is a means of worshipping Her. What has been forgotten by the statusquoists is this: If She likes Yakshagana why organise a company drama and a bhoota kola concoction?

Well, the reformed model of Devi Mahatme staged in the presence of the artistes, troupe manager Devi Prasad Shetty and a large number of viewers and critics was certainly a superior version and was devoid of obvious oddities. But the sad news is that it will remain as a model and the five troupes are unlikely to adopt most of the suggested changes when they set out for their next tirugata in November. The only solace is that at least after so many decades now someone has felt the need for a relook...

In the pictures here note the subtle changes such as the background music players and stage assistants in traditional attire; ornaments adoring the legs as part of the costume improvements; replacement of the decorated swing to be used by Devi in Shumbhavade part fo the episode with a pedastal covered with red clothes...

In the next few posts the specifics of the changes will be highlighted with pictures....

Yakshagana Academy's term ends but its works will last

2011-08-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

The term of the first chairman and members of the Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy has come to an end. Chairman Kumble Sundar Rao and his team can lay down office with a lot of contentment for what they have been able to achieve during their stint with the limited budget of the Academy.

When compared to how Government-sponsored cultural bodies and academies work, the first ever Yakshagana Bayalata Academy has been refreshingly different. With all the non-cooperation that the Government extended making the chairman to voice often his resentment against his own party Government (Sundar Rao is a BJP politician as much as he is a Yakshagan artiste), what the Academy has done can certainly serve a model for similar academies to emulate. Surprisingly even on the last day of their term, Sundar Rao and some of the members were literally at work coordinating the details of the last programme of the Academy at Bajpe which was all about achieving the impossible - a programme aimed in its broadest sense at uplifting the overall stature of Tenkutittu Yakshagana from the deplorable state into which it has fallen into over the years.

Along with this historical effort, the other equally note worthy programmes included two refresher courses that the Academy organised for the young artistes. Although the participants attended these sessions with a lot of cynicism they had left with a great sense of fulfillment. Both these - refresher courses and review of the present state of tenkutittu yakshagana - were something that the field of Yakshagana had desperately needed for over years but there was no one to do it. Initially when the Academy was set up many had questioned the need for such a body since Yakshagana had survived and thrived without any considerable support from the government over the years. However, by its innovative programmes the Academy in its first term itself has put to rest all such cynical voices and incontrovertibly proved that there are tasks which only a body like a State-sponsored Academy could take up. Among other programmes of the Academy, mention should be made of brining out two volumes a directory containing the profiles of professional and amateur artistes and two documentaries - one on Chittani Ramachandra Hegde and the other on Sundar Rao himself. Annual Parthy Subba Award presentation function organised by the Academy is now a prominent feature of the state's culturescape.

While all the members of the Academy deserve compliments for all this, a special mention should be made of Mr Murali Kadekar whose untiring efforts were so distinctly seen in many of what the Academy has achieved. For Murali, of course, this is not new. He has been doing all these for years now under the banner of Yakshagana Kalaranga Udupi of which he is the Secretary. In Yakshagana Academy he found an extended platform for his work. What an amazingly selfless and talented organiser he is!

One only hopes that the new chairman and his team whenever they assume office will maintain this intitial momentum to get Yakshgana its rightful place in the cultural map of the country...

Devi Mahatme under review 3: Will Devi's costume stay or not?

2011-08-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

Devi's costumes also came under the scanner today (August 25) but the status quoists seem to have carried the day. With all the artistic imperfections, a majority of those gathered, both senior artistes and participants, voted for the existing Devi. Shri Asranna of the Kateel temple played it safe saying any change should not compromise with the grand look of Devi. Among those who favoured a change with a caution included Dr M L Samaga and veteran female-role artiste Pathala Venkatarama Bhat...So what is the decision? Comperer Ujire Ashoka Bhat said "we can effect a change if only the changed look does not reduce the grandness of Her look"

Pics: The proposed costume model (above); the existing costumes (below)

Devi Mahatme under review 2: Mahishasura's headgear stays

2011-08-25T03:12:00.000-07:00

On the second day (August 25) of Devi Mahatme review there was more discussion on interesting topcis. One issue was about the costumes and headgear of Mahishasura. Many felt that although the existing costumes and headgear of Mahishasura were unique, it does not fall strictly within the framework of Yakshagana. What seems as headgear now is not a headgear at all. It was an ornament placed imaginatively and two long horns placed tied from behind. Two alternative headgear models were shown (see the pic) but finally the existing costumes and headgears were voted for continuation. So, no official change as for now.....

Devi Mahatme under review-1

2011-08-24T10:15:00.000-07:00

It was the last programme of the current Karnataka Yakshagana Academy but certainly not the least. It was perhaps the best and a revolutionary of sort. At Shri Raghavendra Mantapa at Bajpe artistes of all the five troupes of the Kateel temple, troupe manager Devi Prasad Shetty, a host of Yakshagana scholars, seniors of the Yakshagana world such as Balipa Narayana Bhagavata, Kolyur Ramachandra Rao and Academy Chairman Kumble Sundar Rao himself gathered for a task that they were never called upon earlier to do. To review, revise and reform the popular Shri Devi Mahatme episode. The artistes of the Kateel troupes staged Devi Mahatme and then the experts, seniors and scholars reviewed them scene by scene, focussing on various specific aspects such as costumes, dance, dialogues and make-up. The openin scene of the episode in which the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara) appears with Goddess (aadi maaye) was dubbed as inadequate, inappropriate and non-Yakshagana-like by many of those who assembled there. The costumes, for example, were described as not typical of Yakshagana but of company drama. Devakana Krishna Bhat said this has been the practice ever since he started watching this episode in the 1950s but he would want to see the Trinity in the traditional Yakshagana costumes. Kolyur Ramchandra Rao dubbed Devi Mahatme as a cacophony of noise and dance and not a Yakshagana episode.

Senior artiste Govinda Bhat was so disappointed with the way the current breed of artistes played the Trinity and Devi of the opening scene that he, after the show ended, called the artistes back on to the stage and showed them how he would have done if he were to perform those roles to a thunderous applause by the gathering....(to be continued)

Documentary on Kumble Sundar Rao

2011-08-14T08:14:00.000-07:00

The Karnataka Yakshagana Academy is all set to bring out a documentary on its Chairman and senior Yakshagana artiste Kumble Sundar Rao. The shooting is in an advanced stage and the documentary is slated to be launched before the term of the Academy comes to an end next month. Siriganda Srinivasa Rao who produced the famed Siriganda serial on Karnataka's folklore for the Bangalore Doordarshan is directing the documentary. The shooting was also done, among other places, in Naikap village of Kumble in Kasaragod District where Sundar Rao's ancestoral home once stood, besides at Sri Kanipura Gopala Krishna Temple in Kumble.

The picture above shows Kumble Sundar Rao participating in a Yakshagana Talamaddale programme held in Kumble Temple in 2009 as part of his felicitation fuction. The picture below is the dwajasthambha of the Kumble temple under which many artistes like Sundar Rao from this land of Yakshagana wore anklets to symbolically mark their entry into the world of Yakshagana....

New CM in Yakshagana costumes

2011-08-09T02:48:00.000-07:00

The new Karnataka Chief Minister, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, is seen in Yakshagana costumes here. Not much about his Yaksagana connections were known till he became the chief minister but going by the pictures published in some newspapers he seems to be an amateur artiste like one of his predecessors from Dakshina Kannada District, M. Veerappa Moily, whose Yakshagana connections are too well known. Newspapers routinely featured pictures of Moily performing in Yakshagana during the annual Legislators' Day celebrations in Bangalore during his times in State politics.

In the picture below Sadananda Gowda is seen in make-up session with noted artiste Ubaradka Umesh Shetty.

Mandala Manibhooshana.....

2011-07-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Picture above shows Guru Kargal Vishweshwara Bhat performing Shanmukha Subraya in a Yakshagana performance in Udupi. Vishweshwara Bhat, an authority on Tenkutittu Yakshagana dance, is one of the very few who can perform this traditional role as part of Yakshagana poorvaranga. Udupi's Regional Resources Centre long ago video recorded Balipa Narayana Bhagavatha explaining the sequence of Shanmukha Subraya dance, and singing the accompanying song, Mandaala Manibhooshana, Deva Subbaraaaya....In the picture here the singer is Junior Balipa (Prasad) Bhagavatha...Chaitanya Padyana plays maddale. Sanaka M. Kadekar is on the harmonium.

Udupi Yakshagana Kendra's Jambavati in Bangalore

2011-07-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

As part of a Women's Yakshagana festival organised jointly by the Karnataka Yaskshagana Bayalata Academy and Bangalore Mahila Yakshagana Sangha at T. Dasarahalli, Bangalore, Udupi Yakshagana Kendra's female-child artistes presented Jamabavati Kalyana. In Yakshagana Kendra programme there always is the mesmerising touch of guru Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna and those who like good Yakshagana should never miss a programme directed by Guru Suvarna. The one-and-half hour programme came out well with Kedlaya Bhagavata's superb singing and Vallari M. Kadekar's Krishna (pic above)

Read a review...

2011-07-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

Despite a lot being written about Yakshagana in the press in coastal Karnataka there has never been a tradition of reviewing performances. However, Udupi's Yakshagana Kalaranga organises separate review sessions for its two annual performances by inviting a senior artiste or viewer to do the review. It also encourages the publication of the reviews of its shows. Read a reivew of the recent annual Badagu Yakshgana show it organised in Udupi, published in Udayavani on July22. Click on the image above for a better view...

About a Yakshagana entrepreneur and his troupe.....

2011-07-20T04:36:00.000-07:00

Mahammayee Kripaaposhita Yakshagana Mandali, Surathkal or simply Suratkal Mela has a prominenent place in the history of commercial Yakshagana troupes. Launched by the Pai brothers of Surathkal, the troupe had from time to time some of the great names of Yakshagana including the Agari Bhagavathas (both senior and junior), Malpe Ramadas Samaga, Kumble Sundar Rao, Kolyur Ramachandra Rao, Tekkatte Ananda Master and Shivarama Jogi. That the all-time great scholar Yakshagana artiste, the Late Sheni Gopala Krishna Bhat, chose to serve in this troupe till he retired says its own story about the troupe and its operators. Despite being a commercial tent troupe, some of the prasangas it had presented scripted a new chapter in the history of Yakshgana, both Kannada and Tulu. Among such memorable episodes are Kadugali Kumara Rama, Bappanadu Kshetra Mahatme, Amara Shilpi Veera Kalkuda and so on.

After blazing a glorious trail for over 50 years, the troupe folded up in 2000 as the era of commercial Yakshagana in general came to an end. The man who led the troupe for such a long time was Kasturi Varadaraya Pai, a businessman in Suratkal, now in his late eighties. Even after the troupe was dissolved, Pai has been active in organising Yakshagana and talamaddale shows in the locality and has a permanent place in the hearts of hundreds of artistes who had worked for his troupe during its heyday.

Read below an article that Udayavani carried last week on the eve of a felicitation Pai received in Moodabidri.

Yakshagana Week-2011 in Bangalore

2011-07-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Tenkutittu Yakshagana Prathistana, T. Dasarahalli in Bangalore has been organising several Yakshagana programmes over the years in the City. This year a week-long programme has been organised under its ageis from August 14. Several wellknown names of Tenkutittu are going to assemble to present 10 Kannada mythological and one Tulu modern episodes.

Among the Bhagavathas are: Leelavathi Baipadittaya, Padyana Ganapati Bhat, Puttige Raghurama Holla, Patla Satish Shetty, and Prafulla Kumar, and artistes include Sridhara Bhandary, Shivarama Jogi, Bantwala Jayarama Achar, Jayarama Bhat Kedila, Sarapady Ashok Shety, Manohar Kumar.

Venue: Swami Vivekananda Sadana Kendra Trust, 4th Main Road, Near Ganesh Temple, Havanur Layout, T. Dasarahalli, Bangalore.

Bhagavatas of the Yore 2: Kunjalu Sheshagiri Kini

2011-07-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Kunjalu Sheshagiri Kini (1882-1962) was an eminent Bhagavatha of the Northern style yakshagana. He had been active as a bhagavavatha for more than 60 years. Dr K. Shivarama Karanth had high regards for him and dedicated his much acclaimed book "Yakshagana Bayalata" to the Late Kini. The picture above has been taken from the book. The samples of Kini's singing are said to be available with the Regional Resource Centre, Udupi.

Rehearsal? Sometimes!

2011-07-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana unlike any other theatre forms has no tradition of rehearsals. Even the distribution of roles takes place moments before the show begins. But sometimes these days rehearsals do take place as can be seen in this picture featuring seasoned artiste Ubaradka Umesh Shetty in a passionate practise session...

Memories of another age

2011-07-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

This picture of a Yakshagana show is at least 50 years' old. There is no sound system, so one can see a young Agari Srinivas Bhagavatha singing freely turning his face to the left. These days Bhagavathas are forced to balanace their face near the microphone. It is not clear from the picture if the old-type stage had electrical lights or not. May be because of the absence of the mike, the audience are seen watching the show standing around the stage. Even now Yakshagana shows unfold effectively only when the stage is simple like the one in this picture. It is not a theatre to be performed in modern auditoria like the one below....

Yakshagana Kalaranga's annual shows

2011-07-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Every year in the month of July, Yakshagana Kalaranga, Udupi hosts two Yakshagana performances - one in badagu and one in tenku style, at Purnaprajna Auditorium, Udupi. This year the badagu performance held on July 3 was Damayanti Punaswayamvara and the tenku one held on July 10 was Bottikere Purushottama Poonja's Manishaada. Kalaranga under its dynamic secretary Murali Kadekar takes a great deal of care in organising these shows from choosing the prasangas, to the artistes, to the costumes to every minute detail. As such Kalaranga shows stand out from run-of- the-mill Yakshagana performances that are mostly held these days. Click on the image above to read a well-written curtain-raiser review of Manishada published in Udayavani a day before the show.

Bhagavathas of the yore 1:Puttttige Ramakrishna Jois

2011-07-09T04:18:00.000-07:00

Puttige Ramakrishna Jois was a famous Bhagavatha during the last century. He was a contemporary of the Late Senior Balipa Narayana Bhagavata and led the Dharmasthala troupe as its manager cum Bhagavata during the 1950s. He also sang for the legendary earstwhile Kudlu and Kadri troupes among others. There is no singular account of his life and work but a number of festschrifts and biographies of Yakshagana artistes make frequent reference to his time and style. Here is a rare picture of his published in the commemmorative volume of 1962-Moodappa festival of the famed Madur temple near Kasaragod in Kerala. Jois's son Puttige Raghurama Holla is now the lead Bhagavatha of the Dharmasthala troupe..

On a different stage....

2011-07-08T03:40:00.000-07:00

Members of theatreyaksha ( http://theatreyaksha.in/ ) from Udupi performed a short Yakshagan show early this year at National Gallery of Modern Arts, Bangalore as part of Attakkalari Festival-2011. The stage was specially erected on a water body and this is how the show unfolded on the stage and reflected in the water underneath...

Of what remains in the land of Parthisubba

2011-07-06T04:26:00.000-07:00

Standing on a hillock, this solitary building is of Sri Mujungavu Parthasarathi Srikrishna Deva Yakshagana Kalasangha in the remote parts of Kumble in Kasaragod District which is now a part of Kerala State. This is one of the very few remnants of Yakshagana culture in this land of Yakshagana-genuis Parthisubba.

Watch this Rakthabheeja....1

2011-07-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

Raktabheejasura in Devi Mahatme is one of the most interesting and complex demon characters of the Indian mythology, as it combines in it both ferociousness and piousness. Here is how one of the seasoned artistes of Kateel Mela, Peuvai Narayana Shetty portrays it to the lilting tune of Patla Satish Shetty taruniyallavalaadi maaye

Monsoon shows in full swing in Bangalore

2011-07-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

Monsoon Yakshagana shows are in full swing in Bangalore. This evening saw Krishnarjuna Kalaga by the artistes of Saligrama /Troupe in Ravindra Kalakshetra. Tomorrow select artistes of Tenkutittu will stage Devi Mahatme. Every weekend has a show in some corner of the city or the other.

Pic 1. A scene from today's show: Seasoned artiste /Balkur Krishnayaji as Arjuna and the promising young artiste known for his female roles, Shashikant Shetty Karkala as Subhadre.

Pc 2/3: Views of the packed hall...

Academy plans reforms in Devi Mahatme

2011-06-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

Devi Mahatme is a popular Yakshagana prasanga. It constitutes more than 75 per cent of the shows by five Kateel troupes. The popularity itself has been its bane. Over the years, all sorts of gimmicks have crept into the Prasanga so much so that sometimes it comes across as a mixture of company drama, bhoota kola and a bit of Yakshagana. In its current form it is unlikely to leave an uninitiated viewer with any good impressions about Yakshagana as a unique art although its popularity itself is baffling.

The pictures here are self-explanatory. Finally now, the Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy is planning a workshop for Kateel troupe artistes with a view to reforming the presentation of Devi Mahatme: from dance to costumes to dialogues...Will the artistes and the troupe management buy the idea? That seems a little uncertain but the effort is commendable...

A 9am to 9 pm Yakshagana at Peradala

2011-06-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

After a long time a Yakshagana in both Tenku and Badagu styles in Kasaragod District, says the pamphlet of a Yakshagana show scheduled for July 3 at Udaneshwara Hall in Peradala, Kasaragod District. That's true. Yakshagana thrived in Kasaragod once upon a time. Kasaragod Talipadpu Maidan, Kumble Gandhi Maidan and Uppala Aila Maidan each would see at least 25 shows a year till the early 1980s but these years there has not been even one. So, theYakshagana planned at Udaneshwara temple from 9 am to 9 pm is a landmark. See the details by clicking on the image above...

Kumble as Bharata quite informally....watch now

2011-06-22T05:52:00.000-07:00

Watch how Kumble spoke as Bharat at a refresher course for Yakshagana artistes at Horanadu recently. For details see the previous post.....

When young artistes took lessons from Kumble's Bharata

2011-06-19T23:58:00.000-07:00

The programmes on the penultimate day at the refresher course for Yakshagana artistes at Horanadu last week went on till late evening. As one of the participants finished reading a report of the day’s activities, which was a compulsory item on the agenda for each day, everyone seemed tired. More than anyone it was septuagenarian Yakshagana Academy chairman Kumble Sundar Rao who wanted to retire for the night. But the participants did not seem tired. As Rao got up from his chair and about to walk towards his room, a group of participants gathered around him and started pestering him to deliver the dialogues of at least one of the characters that he was famous for. Some shouted Bharat, others wanted Charvaka. Some others wanted him to speak as Karna.

Rao tried to escape saying how tired he was sitting through the whole day’s activities. Now the boys started pleading him in such a way that Rao could not say “NO.” He reluctantly returned to his chair and said okay then, “Bharata”. Those who wanted to hear him as Charvaka or Karna were disappointed but nevertheless were eager to hear him as Bharat.
Rao who won millions of hearts for his impromptu dialogues in Yakshagana and Talamaddale shows started to speak as Bharat of the famous prasanga Bharatagamana. Rao’s transformation as Bharat was instantaneous. He spoke non-stop, with no support of songs (pada), for a good 11 minutes as each of the 50 participants, the resource persons for the day, and the new Academy Registrar Mahadevaiah heard him with rapt attention.

Having left the field so many years ago and with no preparation whatsoever, the artiste’s ability to speak as if he was possessed by the mythological character was really amazing…
And, more amazing was the eagerness of the young artistes to learn from the senior despite the exhaustion after a hectic day. Who said young artistes do not want to learn?

Govinda Bhat completes 60 years in Yakshagana

2011-06-17T01:04:00.000-07:00

Sixty years is a long time. Almost one's life time. Senior Tenkutittu Artiste Surikumeri Govinda Bhat completes 60 years as an artiste. He joined the Dharmasthala Troupe way back in 1951. He was only 13 then. After short stints in a few other troupes in early stages, Bhat rejoined Dharamasthala troupe again and continues in the same troupe as its senior-most artiste.

Govinda Bhat is an artiste par excellence. There is hardly any parallel to him in today's Tenkutittu Yakshagana world. There are very few in Tenkutittu who have managed both dance and dialogues in an equal measure as Govinda Bhat has been able to. Most of the famed artistes excelled in one of them. Although Bhat is an exception, the depth that he has achieved in dance is what endears him to the audience. The way he gracefully "fills the stage" in whatever role he dons is an art in itself. Few can match him in facial expression and the mastery over traditional dance steps. For a long time, Tenkutittu stood on four pillars: Sheni, Samaga, Kumble and Govinda Bhat. Sheni and Samaga are no more. Kumble has almost stopped stage performances and in any case he is made for Talamaddale more than for on-stage Yakshagana. But Govinda Bhat is still there unbeaten at 73.

Rangasthala wishes him a long and fulfilling life as he celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of his career in Yaksagana....

Bhat's biography (author: Dr B. Prabhakara Shishila) is a must read for all those interested in the history of Yakshagana and the trials and tribulations of a Yakshagana artiste in those days. Titled Yakshopasane, it gives the following discription of the first day of Bhat's career on page 23:

ನಾನು ಹೊಸಹಿತ್ಲು ಮಾಲಿ೦ಗಣ್ಣನೊಡನೆ ಬಾಲಗೋಪಾಲನಾಗಿ ರ೦ಗ ಪ್ರವೇಶಕ್ಕೆ ಅಣಿಯಾದಾಗ ಅಪ್ಪ, ಅಮ್ಮ, ಅಜ್ಜಿ, ಅಣ್ಣ, ಗುರು ಪರಮಶಿವನ್ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ನೆನಪಾದರು. ಅಪ್ಪ ಈ ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಅಮ್ಮ ಅವಳ ಚಿಕ್ಕಪ್ಪನ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಚಾಕರಿಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಮೇಳದ ತಿರುಗಾಟ ಮುಗಿಸಿ ಹೋಗುವಾಗ ೫೦೦ ರುಪಾಯಿಗಳನ್ನು ಅವಳ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇರಿಸುವೆನೆ೦ದು ಹೇಳಿ ಬ೦ದವನು ನಾನು.....ಅವಳ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ೫೦೦ ರುಪಾಯಿಗಳನ್ನು ಇಟ್ಟು ನಮಸ್ಕರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಆಕೆ ಸ೦ಭ್ರಮಾಶ್ಚರ್ಯಗಳಿ೦ದ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಆಶೀರ್ವದಿಸಬೇಕು. ಈಗ ೫೦೦ ರುಪಾಯಿ ಮಾತ್ರ. ಮು೦ದೆ ನಾನು ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಲಾವಿದನಾದಾಗಿ ತಿರುಗಾಟ ಮುಗಿಸಿ ೫೦೦೦ ರುಪಾಯಿಗಳನ್ನು ಅವಳ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿರಿಸಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾದೀತು. ಆಗಬೇಕು. ಆಗ ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲಾ ಕಷ್ಟಗಳು ಮಾಯವಾಗುತ್ತವೆ. ಹೀಗೆ ನಾನು ಕನಸು ಕಾಣುತ್ತಿರುವಾಗ ಹೊಸಹಿತ್ಲು ಮಾಲಿ೦ಗಣ್ಣನ ಮಾತು: "ರ೦ಗಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಪಲೆ ಆತು: ಮ೦ಗನ ಹಾ೦ಗೆ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಹಾರೇಕ್ಕು" ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಸ೦ಪೂರ್ಣ ವಾಸ್ತವಕ್ಕೆ ತ೦ದಿತು. ಅವರ ಮಾತುಗಳಿ೦ದ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಅಲ್ಪಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಅಳುಕು ಸ೦ಪೂರ್ಣ ಮಾಯವಾಯಿತು. ಈ ಪ್ರಪ೦ಚವನ್ನೇ ಗೆದ್ದು ಬಿಡುತ್ತೇನೆ ಎ೦ಬ ಆತ್ಮ ವಿಶ್ವಾಸದಿ೦ದ ನಾನು ನಗೆಮೊಗದಿ೦ದ ರ೦ಗಪ್ರವೇಶ ಮಾಡಿದೆ.

Digitally capturing digina

2011-06-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

The swiveling jumps or digina is one of the main attractions of southern style Yakshagana dance. Sometimes it is overdone at the cost of other delicate stage movements but the rustic village audience of Yakshagana seems to enjoy it more than any other dance sequence in a typical Yakshagana show. There are artistes who are particularly known for their play of digina. There was the legendary Christian Babu and there is equally wellknown Putturu Shridhara Bhandary to name a few...In the picture: A young artiste's digina as captured by photographer Santosh Pai of Udupi

Rainy days again...artistes undergo refresher course

2011-06-10T06:02:00.000-07:00

As the curtain has come down on the 2010-11 Yakshagana season, more than 40 artistes from various melas are undergoing a refresher course in the green environs of Horanadu in Chikmagalur District. Organised by the Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy, the participants are being trained in various Yakshagana-related arts and crafts under the guidance of Guru Kargal Vishweshwara Bhat (Tenku) and Guru Bannanje Sanjeev Suvarna (Badagu). Among the resource persons were Kumble Sundar Rao, Surikumeri Govinda Bhat, Kuriya Ganapathi Shastry, A. Eshwarayya and Krishnamurthy Kavattar and NAM Ismail. Prithviraj Kavattar and Murali Kadekar of Yakshagana Kalaranga Udupi are coordinating the programme...

Pic: A group photo of the participants with the resource persons

Saving tenkutittu poorvarana

2011-01-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of tenkutittu (southern style) poorva ranga (invocation dances) which you generally do not get to see these days in Yakshagana shows. Recently, Udupi's theatreyaksha has been making a concerted effort to include the poorvaranga sequences in their shows as much as possible irrespective of the duration of the show. The following pictures (except the last one) were taken at a theatreyaksha show in Mangalore last month.

It is really sad that there is no systematic documentation of the tenkutittu poorvaranga dances so far. Unless such a documentation is done there is a danger of its getting extinct soon for there are only a couple of living artistes who know it all. One of them is Guru Kargal Vishweshwara Bhat who is guiding theatreyaksha shows. A few years ago senior Tenkutittu artististe and guru Surikemuru Govinda Bhat brought out a video of the entire poorvaranga. However, it did not come out too well, as he himself admitted, owing to the non-cooperation of the artistes and technical inadequacies. However, it was a commendable effort. Govinda Bhat says he made a huge investment into this project which he could never recover. The videos are not available in the market. Much before the digital era started, Tenkutittu Hitarakshana Vedike, Sullia under the leadership of Dr Chgandrashekhara Damle brought out audio cassettes recording all poorvaranga himmela in the mid 1980s. It is high time these cassettes are digitized and made available to those interested.

I wonder, however, why neither the Yakshagana Academy nor the Yakshagana Centre of Mangalore University, which reportedly sits on a huge endowment running into crores of rupees, has not taken any initiative in this direction. Udupi's RRC might have done it but its resources are generally inaccessible. Budding cine director Abhayasimha has documented the badagutittu poorvarana under the guidance of badagutittu guru Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna of Yakshagana Kendra Udupi.

Anyway enjoy the pictures (all the pictures except the last one are by Dr Manohara Upadhya):

Ardhanaareeshwara: (Artiste: Guru Kargal Vishweshwara Bhat)

Shanmukha Subraya: (Artiste: Shivarama Panja)

Mukhya Streevesha: (artiste: Pavan Kumar)

Kodangi (artistes: Karthik Subrahmanya and Anirudh Bhat)

The entry of himmela (Bhagavata: Prithviraja Kavattar)

Article on Diwana Bheem Bhat

2011-01-08T21:33:00.000-08:00

An old article in Udayavani about famous chende/maddale player, the Late Diwana Bheema Bhat. M. Prabhakara Joshi is the author.

(click on the image to read)

Ritusalisation and 'festivalisation' of Yakshagana

2011-01-08T20:12:00.001-08:00

When Kateel troupe, and to some extent other troupes also, play Devi Mahatme episode it is not just a Yakshagana show but a ritual and a grand festival. The following pictures of Devi Mahatme by Kateel troupe at Bailur, Udupi, last month are self-explanatory. Among other things fire-works and a symbolic sacrifice of cutting ashgourds off stage coincide with the slaying of demons on stage.

Udayavani on theatreyaksha experiments

2010-12-16T21:22:00.000-08:00

theatreyaksha, Udupi invites you to....

2010-12-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

theatreyaksha, Udupi is presenting tenkutittu poorvaranga to be followed by a Yakshagana show Narakasuravadhe- Garudagarvabhanga at Ramakrishnashrama, Mangalore at 2.30 pm on December 18. Guru Kargal Vishweshwara Bhat is the director of the show and is going to play ardhanaareeshwar in poorvaranga. Journalist Prithviraja Kavattar is the bhagavata. The programme has been organised by Vibhinna, Mangalore.

Click on the pictures below to see their invitation in original.

Nostalgia

2010-12-16T02:13:00.001-08:00

Young Govinda Bhat and Alake Ramayya Rai in a practice session

Theatre Yaksha experiments with costumes

2010-12-14T21:08:00.000-08:00

A group of Yakshagana enthusiasts in Udupi who call themselves Theatre Yaksha has been trying to revive the old glory of the Tenkutittu Yakshagana costumes. See the costumes of female characters (Satyabhama) and pakadi vesha (Krishna) in the two pictures here. The first one shows the pakadi vesha in the contemporary style with frill filled costumes whereas in the second one the frills on the shoulders have been replaced with the traditional Yakshagana-style bhujakeerti. Similarly, see the changes in the streevesha costumes. In the first picture the streevesha looks very contemporary, worldly and is at odds with the celestial costumes of the male characters. Theatre Yaksha's new costumes for streevesha in the second picture reflects an effort to restructure the streevesha costumes for the mythological world that Yakshagana seeks to create on the stage.

Kateel's fifth mela launched.

2010-12-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

After Mandarti, it was the turn of Kateel temple last evening (December 1) to launch its fifth Yakshagana troupe to cope with the mounting demand for performance by the temple troupes. Popular young bhagavata Patla Satish Shetty is the main bhagavatha of the new troupe. Shetty was earlier with the second troupe of the temple. Insiders say that with the launch of the fifth troupe now all the five melas will face shortage of talented artistes as the available ones were distributed among the five troupes. The most popular episode that Kateel troupes play is Devi Mahatme but it has become increasingly difficult of late to find good artistes to play the complex demon characters that this episode features.
Kateel temple is said to have started its first Yakshagana troupe more than 150 years ago, the second one was added in 1975, the third one in 1983, and the fourth one in 1993. Currently, each of the five troupes has been booked for the next 20 years.

Photo courtesy: Santhosh Pai

Rainy November shows

2010-11-30T05:08:00.000-08:00

The rainy season this year was unusually long in the coastal belt. It started early and lasted till the end of November playing a havoc with Yakshagana shows for almost a month now. Many shows were canceled while those who had sponsored harake aatas had to erect special pendals (first picture above) to see that the show ran somehow. A senior artiste said it was for the first time in his three decades of experience that he had seen rain playing a spoil sport with Yakshagana during the entire month of November. The second picture above shows the scene on the stage after a Hiriyadka mela show at Parkala near Udupi got canceled due to the rains recently.

Mandarti: Of more melas and more complacency

2010-11-30T04:15:00.000-08:00

It is one thing to launch a fifth mela and organize a gala inaugural but it is another and quite difficult thing to pay attention to what and how these melas do.

Watching a performance of the Mandarti mela (No 1) at Uppuru shortly after this year's Yakshagana season started, I was not only disappointed but also kept wondering how would shape of things be in the next 20 to 25 years for which the shows have been booked.

The day's episode was Shivapanchakshari Mahime and Shrinivasa Kalyana. Mandarti is one of the few melas which play poorvaranga but the poorvaranga that day appeared pathetic. One of the artistes participating in the poorvaranga seemed totally disoriented. The pictures above of Balagopalas are self explanatory. There is nothing more disappointing than seeing two identical characters dancing without any synchronization and coordination but that was exactly what was happening on the stage. To add to that one of them kept chewing something (see the first picture above) as he was performing and he did not bother to do full make-up and to wear costumes properly. He applied colour on his face but hands were dark, and he kept tying the loosening anklets and bhujakeertis (the traditional yakshagana ornament worn on the shoulders) every now and then. A friend of mine who was well versed with Yakshagana singing was pissed off that Mohana raga which is never used in Yakshagana till past midnight was liberally used for the opening balagopala dance itself.

I heard someone observing in the audience: Can't the Mandarti temple management hold refresher courses for these young artistes by inviting some experts like Mr Sanjeeva Suvarna of the Yakshagana Kendra instead of tolerating such a pathetic poorvaranga on the pretext of shortage of trained artistes. What is the use of spending lakhs of rupees on advertisements about the fifth mela when no attention is ever paid to the depth of the performance? he kept wondering.

When I shared this experience with a veteran of Yakshagana Kalaranga, Udupi, he said he had watched a show by Mandarti Mela-2 last year where oddolaga dance (also part of poorvaranga) was a total chaos.

But who bothers? After all the shows have been booked for the next couple of decades.

I remembered renowned art critic Sadananda Menon's observations at a recent seminar at Rangashankara, Bangalore. He said: "If Yakshagana shows have been blocked for such a long time in advance, you need nothing more to kill the art."

Mandarti's fifth mela launched 4: Chowki

2010-11-18T20:47:00.000-08:00

The green room (chowki) was the cynosure of all eyes till the performance started. Even as the inaugural function was on, people came to take a glimpse at the green room where junior artistes, boys below 20, were engaged in make-up from early evening to get ready for poorvaranga performances. Then senior artistes and bhagavatas started arriving. Everybody was eager to see the chowki of the fifth mela which was just by the entrance. At around 9, the statues of Ganapathi, the presiding diety of all Yakshagana melas were brought in a ceremonial procession from the temple presmises where they were kept through the day. Each of the five melas had its own Ganapathy and after the customary chowki pooja, balagopalas went to the stage along with the himmela.

As is generally the case with Yakshagana, when artistes came for the performance they did not know which troupe they were going to be part of for this tirugata (Yakshagana season) and were eagerly searching for their names in the list displayed on a wall ajoining the green room...

Mandarti's fifth mela launched - 3: Surapana Sabheya Nindisitu

2010-11-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

It was just like the annual festival of Mandarti temple. People came in droves from far and near despite the overcast sky which threatened with drizzles now and then. When it finally rained a little past midnight people were still undaunted. They used the chairs as umbrella.

The temple premises were decorated for the occasion. There was a list of 'VIP' guests who never turned up. Among them were Higher Education Minister V.S. Acharya, Fisheries Minister Krishna Palemar, MLA Srinivash Shetty, MLC Srinivas Poojary, Deputy Commissioner Hemalatha. After a good wait for more than an hour the function started and as a mark of protest perhaps the organisers avoided even mentioning the names of the guests who failed to turn up. The chief guest Swamiji (Santhosh Guruji of Ayur Ashram, Bangalore) was more vocal. He took a dig at all those political leaders who failed to turn up for what he termed a people's festival.

But for the delay, the function was neatly arranged. Despite the surging crowd the decorum was maintained. Shanady Ajit Kumar Hegde, a localite and Karnataka State Accounts Service officer, who is currently the Finance Controller, Karnataka State Rural Road Development Corporation, stood in for the guests who did not show up. A fan of Yakshagana himself, Ajit gave a fluent speech, which, though sounded a little longer given the circumstnaces, was befitting the occasion.

Mandarti's fifth mela launched - 2: Mela Torch

2010-11-18T20:19:00.000-08:00

The people greeted the mela torch with folded hands as Sarva Ganiga, son-in-law of the legendary artiste Harady Rama Ganiga brought it out from the stage after it was lit by the chief guest: Santhosh Guruji of Ayur Ashram Bangalore. Harady Rama Ganiga who was the first Yakshagana artiste to win the Central Sangeeta Nataka Academy Award for Yakshagana way back in 1960s was the head of the Mandarti Troupe (there was only one troupe those days) for more than a decade. Glowing tributes were paid to Rama Ganiga by various speakers on the occasion of the launch of the 5th troupe.

Mandarti's fifth mela launched

2010-11-18T04:21:00.000-08:00

It was a milestone in the history of Yakshagana as the fifth mela (troupe) of Mandarti Temple was launched last evening (November 17)
.

What might go to reinforce the people's belief in the Mandarti temple's special association with Yakshagana the untimely rain which disrupted normal life in the entire Udupi District throughout the day left the temple town untouched by and large. Although it drizzled from time to time, till about the time all the five troupes completed their poorvaranga and oddolaga the show went on smoothly. Then it rained a little but till the time I left it didn't disperse the people who watched the five melas perform, from various vantage points covering their head with whatever was available and by taking shelter under the roofs of the closed shops around.

The inaugural that prededed the performance was a drag, especially because of one of the chief guests (a swamiji), who spoke a little too long on obvious things and at times even on silly things.

The crowd was huge and as the curtains went up and the balagopalas appeared simultaneously on all the five stages, the people greeted the newly added troupe with cheers and applause. The high point of the programme was symbolic inauguration of the mela with Sarva Ganiga, son-in-law of the legendary Badagutittu Artiste Harady Rama Ganiga bringing to the stage the customary greenroom torch to be lit by the chief guest.

Later, senior Stage Government official and Yakshagana fan Shanady Ajit Hegde handed over the talas to the five bhagavatas representing the five melas to mark the beginning of this year's rounds. Each of the five troupes is now booked up to 2029.

When a doctor dons Yakshagana costumes

2010-11-16T05:06:00.000-08:00

Dr Bhaskarananda Kumar is a senior orthopaedician and professor at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal but like many he is bitten by the Yakshagana bug. When on rangastala, one cannot makeout that he is there only as an amateur. Sometimes, he can even surpass those who have chosen Yakshagana as profession in both cosutmes, dance and dialogues. So much is his interest in the art that this doctor has acquired his own set of costumes and somehow manages time, amidst a steady flow of patients and students, not to miss a good Yakshagana programme in the surroundings of Udupi. In the picture, Dr Bhaskarananda Kumar poses as Vaali for a special Yakshagana-based article in this year's Udayavani Deepavali Special Issue.

Bridging the generation gap

2010-11-14T03:02:00.000-08:00

Subraya Sampaje, leading demon role actor (Bannada Vesha) of Tenkutittu Yakshagana watching a video of his father and legendary demon role actor, Bannada Malinga's performance, in a friend's laptop. Following his father's footsteps, Subraya has been playing the demon roles in Kateel troupe for more than three decades now.

In the second picture (right) Subraya plays the role of Garuda in Garuda Garvabhaga at a recent Yakshagana show at Adve near Padubidri, Udupi District.

New Yakshagana season starts with more troupes

2010-11-12T23:58:00.000-08:00

Developments in the field of Yakshagana are sometimes baffling. At a time when many would predict the death knell of tent troupes, the new Yakshagana season has begun with the addition of one more tent troupe in badagutittu- Shri Mahishamardhini Yakshagana Mandali, Neelavara - under the ownership of Mr Karunakara Shetty who has been successfully running Perduru Troupe which celebrated its Silver Jubilee last year.

This is in addition to the two the newly added temple (harake) troupes - the fifth troupe of Kateel temple and the fifth troupe of Mandarthi temple. Kateel temple, according to reports, is thinking of starting a sixth troupe next year!!!

Remembering Mandechcha on his 25th anniversary

2010-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

On a cold morning in the second week of November 1985, Abdulla, my senior at SDM College, Ujire, stopped me at the college corridor and asked: 'Did you read today's Udayavani?' I looked at him without understanding why was he asking me so. He said: 'Mandechcha Bhagavata passed away last night. In Bombay.'

I rushed to the library and read the report of which all that I remember now is that Mandechcha had breathed his last while singing for the episode Panchavati at Vishweswhara Hall , Matunga in Mumbai the previous night (November 11, 1985). I conveyed the news to some other friends who shared similar interest in Yakshagana. At that time I did not know much about Mandechcha except that he was the main singer for the then Karnataka Yakshagana Nataka Sabha, Mangalore. I had seen him sing for three prasangas -one Kannada (Yashomati.-Ekavali ) and two Tulu (Pattada Padmale and Kadamallige). Those were the days when I used to watch Yakshagana for its noisy part and not for its finer elements. So, I had had no idea about the greatness of Mandechcha but I was gripped by a sense of loss that the Bhagavata, so full of life and always with a smile on his face, was no more with us.

Later, as my interest in Yakshagana grew, I learnt more about Mandechcha and his style. I bought audio cassettes of Yakshagana episodes in which he sang. He was a trained Carnatic Classical singer and that had a tremendous influence on his style of Yakshagana singing. Although I am a fan of the distinct style of Yakshagana singing (of Balipa variety), Mandehcha's songs were too enchanting and therefore an exception. So were they to thousands of other Yakshagana fans who simply loved his lilting tune without worrying about the tradition. The more I heard him, the more I started enjoying his style and the more I wanted to hear about him.

Sometime in the mid-90s, I bought a book from Atri Book Center Mangalore, titled Gaana Kogile. That was a commemorative volume on Mandechcha brought out by his fans. Edited by Yerya Laksminarayana Alva and others, the book had details about his life and his final moments, in the form of essays by those who were with him on that fateful night.

From those accounts I learnt something about the personality of Mandechha which left me deeply moved. Having been born into a family of big land lords, he was arguably the richest man ever to have entered the world of Yakshagana for a career. He chose it much against the wishes of his family. Eventually he gave up all the property that he had inherited. He never bothered to have a family of his own and chose to remain a bachelor. He had such a detached attitude towards money that he kept for him nothing more than what was just necessary for him to keep himself going. Recollects his contemporary, Balipa Narayana Bhagavata: 'In those days he would spend Rs 60 on his car to attend a performance where he would be paid only Rs 20.' Says another close associate Kumble Sundar Rao: 'Be it from a taxi driver or at the hotel counter, he would not even bother to collect the change after paying the bill.' He spent all his earnings either on books or to help those whom he found were in more need of money than he was. So complete was his devotion to Yakshagana that he wanted to die on the stage and that wish was fulfilled in faraway Mumbai but a little too soon at the age of just 56. He had no one but his friends and fans to perform his last rites.

Writes Yerya Lakshminarayana Alva in 'Ganakogile about Mandechcha's life':

"...ಒ೦ದು ರೀತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅವರೊಬ್ಬ ಅವಧೂತ....ಜನಿಸಿದ್ದು ಸ೦ಪನ್ನ
ಅಡಿಕೆ ಬೆಳೆಗಾರರ ಕುಟು೦ಬದಲ್ಲಿ. ಬೆಳ್ಳಾರೆಯ ಹತ್ತಿರದ ನಿಡ್ಮಾರಿನಲ್ಲಿ....
ಕೊನೆಯ ಹದಿನೈದು ವರ್ಷ ಕಳೆದದ್ದು ಜೋಡು ಮಾರ್ಗದ ಬಾಡಿಗೆ ಕೋಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ.
ವಾಸ್ತವ ಬಾಳಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಿ೦ತಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಅಲೆದಾಟ ನಡೆಸಿದ ನಡೆಸಿದ ಈ ಪುಣ್ಯ ಚೇತನ
ಈ ತಲೆಮಾರಿನ ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ ಕಲಾಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳ ಹೃದಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತ್ರ
ಒಲವಿನ ಮನೆಕಟ್ಟಿ ಅಮರರಾಗಿ ಬಾಳಿದರು.
....ಅಪರೂಪದ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿತ್ವ. ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಾತ್ರದ ದು೦ಡುಮುಖ.
ಮೊಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಎ೦ದೂ ಅಳಿಯದ ಮುಗ್ದ ನಗೆ....ಬಹುಮುಖ ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯ ಮನಸ್ಸು.
ಹೊಸ ಅಲೆಯ ನಾಟಕ ಗೋಷ್ಟಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾಗವಹಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಶ್ನಿಸಿ ತಿಳಿದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಕುತೂಹಲ.
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಯಿತೊ ಎನ್ನುವ ಉದಾರತೆ.....
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ರ೦ಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಎರಡು ಬಾಗವತರು ಕೂತು ಹಾಡುವ
ಪ್ರಸ೦ಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಎದುರು ಬಾಗವತರ ಹಾಡಿಗೆ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿ ತಲೆದೂಗಿ ಪ್ರೋತ್ಸಾಹಿಸುವ ನಿರ್ಮತ್ಸರ ಗುಣಗ್ರಾಹಿತ್ವ...”

About the final moments of his life, Muliya Mahabala Bhatta writes in the same book:

ರ‍ಾತ್ರಿ ೨ ಗ೦ಟೆಗೆ ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರು ಹಾಡಲು ಆರ೦ಭಿಸಿದರು. ’ನೋಡಿ ನಿರ್ಮಲ ಜಲ ಸಮೀಪದಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊ೦ಡರು ಪರ್ಣ ಶಾಲೆಯ’ ಎ೦ಬ ಹಾಡು ಅವರ ಕ೦ಠದಿ೦ದ ಮಧುರವಾಗಿ ಹೊರಹೊಮ್ಮಿತು. ಸುಮಾರು ಒ೦ದು ತಾಸು ಸುಖವಾಗಿ ಸೊಗಸಾಗಿ ಹಾಡಿದರು. ಶೂರ್ಪನಖಿ ತನ್ನ ರೂಪವನ್ನು ಪಲ್ಲಟಗೊಳಿಸುವ - ’ಮಾಯಕದ ರೂಪಿನಲಿ ಮತ್ತೊ೦ದು ಬಗೆಯಾ, ಕಾಯವನು ಧರಿಸಿದಳು ಕಪಟದಾಕೃತಿಯಾ’ ಎ೦ಬ ಪದ್ಯವನ್ನು ಹಾಡಿ, ಶ್ರೀ ಪೊಲ್ಯ ಲಕ್ಶ್ಮೀ ನಾರಾಯಣ ಶೆಟ್ಟರನ್ನು ಕರೆದು ಅವರ ಕೈಗೆ ಜಾಗಟೆ ಇತ್ತು ಎದ್ದರು. ಅವರು ಆಗ ’ಮತ್ತೊ೦ದು ಬಗೆಯ ಕಾಯಕವನ್ನು ಧರಿಸಲಿಕ್ಕಾಗಿಯೇ ಎದ್ದರೆ೦ದು ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರು ಒಳಗೆ ಹೋದ ಕೆಲವೇ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕಲಾವಿದ ಗೋವಿ೦ದ ಭಟ್ಟರು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕರೆದರು. ಆಗ ನಿಡ್ಲೆ ನರಸಿ೦ಹ ಭಟ್ಟರು ಧಾವಿಸಿ ಬ೦ದು ಎಚ್.ಬಿ.ಎಲ್. ರಾಯರೆಲ್ಲಿ. ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರು ಅಸ್ವಸ್ಥರಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಉಬ್ಬಸ ಬರುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎ೦ದರು. ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಎಚ್.ಬಿ.ಎಲ್. ರಾಯರು ಬ೦ದರು. ಚೌಕಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಹಕಲಾವಿದರು ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರನ್ನು ಆಧರಿಸಿಕೊ೦ಡಿದ್ದರು. ಉಸಿರಾಡಲಾಗದೆ ಅವರು ಕಷ್ಟ ಪಡುತಿದ್ದರು. ಶೇಣಿಯವರ ಮುಖ ವಿವರ್ಣವಾಗಿತ್ತು. ಪುತ್ತೂರು ನಾರಾಯಣ ಹೆಗ್ಡೆಯವರು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಒ೦ದಷ್ಟು ನೀರು ಕುಡಿಸಿದರು....ಅಡ್ವೆ ವಾಸು ಶೆಟ್ಟರು ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಡಾ. ಶೆಟ್ಟಿಯವರನ್ನು ಕರೆದು ತ೦ದರು. ಅವರು ನಾಡಿ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಮಾಡಿದವರೇ ’ಕೂಡಲೇ ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಗೆ ಒಯ್ಯಬೇಕು. ಏದೆ ಬಡಿತ ಕ್ಷೀಣವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ’ ಎ೦ದರು.

...ನಾವು ಏಳೆ೦ಟು ಮ೦ದಿ ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರನ್ನು ಎತ್ತಿ ಕಾರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮಲಗಿಸಿದೆವು. ಆಗ ಗ೦ಟೆ ಸುಮಾರು ೩.೩೦.

ಅರ್ಧ ತಾಸು ಕಳೆಯುವಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸು ಶೆಟ್ಟರು ಮರಳಿ ಬ೦ದರು. ’ಮುಗಿಯಿತು’ ಎ೦ದರು. ಚೌಕಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶೇಣಿಯವರು ಕುಸಿದರು. ಕಲಾವಿದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆಲವರು ದಿಗ್ಭ್ರಾ೦ತರಾದರು. ಕೆಲವರು ಕಣ್ಣೀರು ಸುರಿಸುತಿದ್ದರು.

ಯಕ್ಷಗಾನ ನಡೆದೇ ಇತ್ತು. ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಷಯ ತಿಳಿಸಿ ಬಯಲಾಟ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಬೇಕು ಎ೦ದು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಹೇಳಿದರು. ಆದರೆ ಈ ಸುದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ಬಿತ್ತರಿಸುವುದು ಯಾರು? ಯಾರಿಗೂ ಮಾತು ಹೊರ‍ಡುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನಿ೦ದ ಸಾಧ್ಯವಿಲ್ಲ ಎ೦ದು ಶೇಣಿಯವರು ಹೇಳಿದರು. ಕೊನೆಗೆ ನಾನೇ ಈ ಕೆಲಸ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸಬೇಕಾಗಿ ಬ೦ತು. ರ‍೦ಗಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ಬ೦ದು ಬಾಗವತಿಕೆ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತಿದ್ದ ಕಡತೋಕಾ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಬಾಗವತರಿಗೆ ವಿಷಯ ತಿಳಿಸಿದೆ. ಆವರು ಕೂಡಲೇ ಜಾಗಟೆ ಕೆಳಗಿಟ್ಟು ಎದ್ದು ನಿ೦ತರು.

’ಅತ್ಯ೦ತ ದು:ಖದ ವಿಷಯವೊ೦ದನ್ನು ತಮಗೆ ತಿಳಿಸಬೇಕಾಗಿದೆ. ಆಟವನ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಬೇಕಾಗಿದೆ. ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೊತ್ತಿನ ಹಿ೦ದೆ ನಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಮು೦ದೆ ನಗುನಗುತ್ತಾ ಹಾಡಿದ ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರು ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ. ಕೆಲವೇ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳ ಹಿ೦ದೆ ಅವರ ಹೃದಯ ತನ್ನ ಬಡಿತವನ್ನು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸಿತು.’

ಇಷ್ಟು ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಬಹಳ ಕಷ್ಟದಿ೦ದ ಹೇಳಿದೆ. ಸುದ್ದಿ ಕೇಳಿದ ಗ೦ಭೀರ ಮೌನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಭೆಗೆ ಸಭೆಯೇ ಎದ್ದು ನಿ೦ತು ಅಗಲಿದ ಮ೦ಡೆಚ್ಚರ ಚೇತನಕ್ಕೆ ಶ್ರದ್ಧಾ೦ಜಲಿ ಅರ್ಪಿಸಿತು....

Mandechcha was a prolific letter writer to his friends and well wishers. Many of his friends say his handwriting was very difficult to decipher except for those who knew him too closely. Here is a sample of his letter.

Listen to a couple of rare songs by Mandechcha

Listen to Balipa Narayana Bhagavata speaking on Mandechcha (a little unclear)

Young artistes 4: Ganesh Kolekadi

2010-10-05T21:24:00.000-07:00

At a time when it is hard to see good humour in Yakshagana shows, a serious-looking young artiste comes across as a ray of hope. Ganesh Kolekadi is an amateur artiste, a prasanga writer, and an expert in Yakshagana meter and ragas. He has stopped performing on stage after he met with an accident, which has left him seriously crippled. He occasionally takes part in talamaddale shows. The other day he played the role of Rama Ganiga in Shani Mahatme. A very brief role but his dialogues made even a swamiji witnessing the programme hard to suppress his laughter. Ganesh makes others laugh while he himself remains serious-faced. That is a great art which very few in Yakshagana could boast of. What is more impressive about Ganesh's brand of humour is that he avoids the worn-out expressions and tries innovative use of words and their meanings. He never employs any bawdy dialogues which has become so common among Yakshagana jesters these days - leading figure being the 'much-acclaimed' Seetarama Kumar Kateel. Ganesh is a serious artiste and has encyclopaedic knowledge about various aspects of Yakshagana. He composed songs for many of the successful productions of Prithviraja Kavathar under the banner of Yaskshagana Kalaranga, Udupi. He was one of the main resource persons at the recent workshop on Yakshagana Prasanga Writing, organized jointly by Karnataka Yakshagana Academy and Yakshagana Kalaranga. His talents should be used better by those who want to try innovative experiments in this theatre.

Pic: Ganesh (extreme right) along with other resource persons and organisers of Yakshagana Prasanga Writing workshop held at Udupi in July this year.

When the pride of tenku Yakshagana sings

2010-10-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

He does not sing for the audience, but he does it for his own happiness....for self fulfilment...

Yakshagana scholar and artiste M. Prabhakara Joshi said this about Balipa Naryana Bhagavata...

The occasion: Release of the bhagavat's latest contribution to Yakshagana literature: A five-day version of Devi Mahatme. Place: Yakshagana fan Subrahmanya Bhat's House at Venur in April this year.

I think that was a very insightful description of the bhagavata... I remembered what Elner H Buruck said in 'Spirituality in Workplace.' Buruck said:

When innerself connects to one's work, work and the inner self seem to know no limit

Two recent pictures here by Udupi-based artist and photographer Santhosh Pai say it all......Click on the pictures for a better view...

Watching Yakshagana on a rainy night

2010-10-02T01:53:00.000-07:00

It was a memorable Yakshagana shows for me towards the end of Yakshagana season2010. The sky was overcast and as we were about to leave it started drizzling. I called a friend who was already at the venue. Are they going to cancel the programme? I asked. "I do not think so. They are getting ready" he said. So we drove ahead.

By the time we reached there rains had stopped but the ground was wet. Only the stage and green rooms were protected by a tarpaulin sheet. "Let's go back. We cannot enjoy this show," I told my friend who had accompanied me. 'No let's stay back and watch it. Let's see how it goes on a rainy night,' he said.

It started drizzling again but the curtain went up and the himmela artistes started entered the stage. In front were rows and rows of chair, not even one occupied. It rained all through balagopala and mukhya stree vesha performance. But in the green room it was business as usual. Devendra and his army were getting ready for oddolaga. Rains relented as the first Bhaagavata took over the stage and sang 'amburuhadalanetre..' A few chairs were occupied by now. It drizzled again as the oddolaga went on. People opened their umbrellas.

We stayed almost till 2 am. Some umbrellas were still open and the show - Trijanma Mokha by Darmasthala troupe in one of the interior places of Udupi District - was still on. It was still the penultimate week of this year's Yakshagana season in the summer but it rained unexpectedly. We had the experience of watching a rain-drenched show.

2010-10-02T01:49:00.000-07:00

Ubaradka Umesh Shetty's Hanumantha in traditional Yakshagana style....

Young artistes - 5

2010-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Not just young. They are all younger still. A scene from the recently-held children's Yakshagana competiton at Kateel.

Young artistes - 4 Pawan Kumar

2010-09-03T22:49:00.000-07:00

Are you playing Rama today again? I asked him.

No, today it is Nakratundi, he said.

I had seen him play Rama in Indrajitu Kalaga once earlier. He was quite impressive. I thought being a student yet he would have been a beginner in Yakshagana and would have specialised in one role. But not to be. Pawan Kumar, a final year BSc (Biotech)student then, was game for any role that came his way. That night he was to play demoness Nakratundi which required elaborate costumes and intricate steps. And he was impressive again. Another day, he surprised me again by playing Hanumanth in traditional Yakshagana costume and he handled the stylized entry with great agility just as seasoned actors do.

Pawan is from a Yakshagana family background with many of his relatives being well known artistes and background musicians in amateur and professional troupes. For his age, I think, his mastery over both dance and dialogues is amazing. As Rama in Indrajitu Kalaga he was pitted against senior professional artiste from Kateel troupe, Ammunje Mohan’s Lakshman. As Nakratundi he paired with seasoned artiste Harinarayana Edaneeru. He lived up to the expectations on both occasions. Soft spoken Pawan is now an employee with a major bio-tech company but if he keeps his interest in Yakshagana alive and makes it a point to keep learning, we have a great amateur artiste in the making for Tenkutittu.

Young artistes' series 3 - Santhosh Kulashekhara

2010-08-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

'Show me some female roles dancing (streevesha)', he requested me as I was showing a few rare Yakshagana video clips from my collection to a group of young artistes.

Sure, I said but for the moment I was interested in making them watch Sheni Gopala Krishna Bhat's legendary Bappa Byari performance - a rare video clip.

While a few others watched it, he insisted I show him streevesha scenes. He seemed not greatly interested in watching Bappa Byari.

This is not the right attitude, I told myself, for an upcoming artiste needs to know something beyond the roles that he generally performs. That too how could someone show such indifference towards watching an all time famous performance by an arguably all time great artiste, I thought.

But later I learnt that Santhosh Kulashekhar's indifference to all else was part of his abiding interest in female roles. He was impressive the previous evening as he played Maya Seeta and pradhana streevesha in 'Indrajitu Kalaga'. He certainly had a flair for playing female roles. He was deeply passionate about it.

Interestingly, Santhosh had taken leave from a Goa firm where he has a job just to act in Yakshaganas. Throughout the last summer he had his hands full with both amateur and professional troupes inviting him to perform a role - either as a stand-in or on his own right.

Santhosh dances well. His movements have a natural touch. He has to pay some serious attention to his dialogue delivery. He does not fumble but manages only with a few seemingly ready-made sentences the style of which does not suit the extempore tradition of Yakshagana dialogues.
I was thoroughly impressed with Santhosh's passion for playing female roles. And this is a time when the troupes find it really hard to get even an average ariste for playing female characters in Yakshagana.

(In pic: (top))Santhosh as Sathyabhama in Narakasura Vadhe, with senior artiste Varkadi Tharanatha Balyaya; below Santhosh)

Young Artistes' Series 2 - Prasad Cherkady

2010-08-10T22:22:00.000-07:00

Prasad Cherkady is an MSc (Material Science) student at Mangalore University. The other day when he played Ekalavya at Yakshagana Kalaranga's 'Ubhayakula Billoja' I thought he might have been a seasoned artiste from a professional troupe.

Prasad danced for poorvaranga for a new taala that prasanga writer Ganesh Kolekkaadi and Bhagavata Prithviraj Kavathar experimented on the stage for the first time as part of the performance that day. Prasad made an impression on the audience with those very first few steps of dance.

However, when he appeared later as Ekalavya the packed audience watched and heard him with rapt attention. In both dance and dialogues he was measured and disciplined. When he was pitted against 75-year-old master of dialogues, Kumble Sundar Rao, (as Drona) this upcoming artiste, barely 22, handled the scenes with great ease and aplomb. No wonder the audience responded with applause twice as he exited from the stage - once after the initial encounter with Drona and then finally after playing the piognant scene of offering his thumb to Drona as gurudakshine.

Who said Tenkutittu fans do not encourage good performance?

Prasad shows great promise. If he does not stop learning after this initial bout of success, which generally happens with young Yakshagana artistes, both amateur and professional, he is an artiste to be watched in Tenkutittu....

Young artistes series 1: Chaitanyakrishna Padyana

2010-08-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

At a time when Yakshagana lovers worry about an impending shortage of qualified and committed artistes even for the existing organised troupes, some youngsters are emerging as a ray of hope. Interestingly, most of them are amateurs but they often outshine even the experienced professional artistes. Generally below 25, they are students, bank clerks, teachers, other private / public sector employees or those who are involved in another genre of music or art. Sometimes, it seems to me that these amateurs are the ones who are going to save Yakshagana for future generations. Some of them will be profiled here starting with maddale/chende Artiste Chaitanyakrishna Padyana.

Chaitanyakrishna is perhaps the youngest of the lot. He has just turned 22. Hailing from a family of Yakshagana artistes and background musicians, Chaitanyakrishna is being trained in chende/maddale under his uncle Padyana Shankaranarayna Bhat. He is also learning mrudangam under illustrious mrudangam gurus in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

On a visit home when he was a student at Chennai, the beats of Yakshagana chende and maddale beaconed him. It did not take him much time to learn the basics, after all it was all in his blood. Then he took learning it systematically under his uncle and started appearing as a stand in artiste in a few shows. The dexterity with which he played chende and maddale soon attracted the attention of senior artistes and he became a guest artiste in great demand. He played chende for veteran bhagavatas like Balipa Narayana Bhagavata and Kuriya Ganapati Shastri. He is also a member of TheatreYaksha group of Udupi which strives for the revival of traditional elements in Yakshagana. Among other programmes Chaitanya played Chende and Maddale for TheatreYaksha shows at Rangashankara and Attakkalari, both in Bangalore. Chaitanya says he is planning to join a professional troupe soon at least for a year to hone his skills further.

Pic 1: Chaitanya on stage

Pic 2: Chaitanya playing for southern style's senior-most artiste Surikumeru Govinda Bhat

Alake Ramayya Rai's Rutuparna

2010-08-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

An old and undated picture showing Alake Ramayaa Rai's legendary Rutuparna, Mijaru Annappa as Bahuka and a youthful looking Damadora Mandechcha as Bhagavata..

An aata advertisment of the 1960s

2010-07-04T03:44:00.000-07:00

A bit of history of Yakshagana in Mangalore. The clipping above is that of an advertisement which had appeared in a small-time Kannada newspaper called Vartaloka published from Mangalore in the early 1960s by the legendary local journalist PAdayana GOpalakrishna.

It was about a show scheduled for December 14, 1963 near Urva Market by a famous mela of the yesteryears - Koodlu Gopalakrishna Yakshagana Nataka Sabha, Koodlu, Kasaragod. More interestingly it was a fund raising show for a local cricket club.

And the prasanga: Srikrishna Janma, Chandravali Vilasa, Agra Pooje.

I am grateful to Mr P. Ramachandra, son of the Late Padyana Gopalakrishna for providing me with the above newspaper clipping

Theatre experts laud Balipa style

2010-07-03T23:15:00.001-07:00

'This is a unique style of singing. We want to know more about how he has trained his voice.' That was the reaction of India's foremost experimental theatre exponent Veenapani Chawla when she heard Balipa Narayana Bhagavata sing. Concurring with her was Rustom Barucha, author, director and cultural critic from Kolkota. To know more on how an entirely non-Kannadiga audience enjoyed the Balipa style of Yakshagana songs and dialogues of a Kannada talamaddale read this article (ಭಾಷೆಯನ್ನು ಮೀರಿದ ಭಾವಪೂರ್ಣ ಅನುಭವ) published in Udayavani on July 2, 2010.

Kalaranga Yakshaganas on July 4, 11 at Udupi

2010-07-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

Yakshagana Kalaranga, Udupi is organising its annual Yakshagana programmes at Poorna Prajna Auditorium, Udupi, on July 4 (Raja Yayati - Chandravali Vilasa in Badagu style) and on July 11 (Ubhaya Kula Billoja - Tenku style).

Kalaranga has been organising two shows -one Badagu, one Tenku - every year for the last several years. And they are the real Yakshagana shows as Kalaranga makes an attempt to present Yakshagana in the way it should be at a time when it has become almost impossible to find an 'unadulterated' show. Those who are interested in seeing and protecting genuine Yakshagana should never miss Kalaranga's programme.

In fact, this organisation has been doing for cause of Yakshagana more than what any institution or even the government has done so far by way of activities aimed at protecting Yakshagana in its purest possible form and by organising discussions, seminars, critique sessions and awareness programmes throughout the year. More than anything else, their efforts for the welfare of the active and retired Yakshagana artistes are noble. They deserve encouragement from all Yakshagana lovers.