Credit: DH Photo
Mangaluru: When Lord Ayyappa sets out on a mission to collect milk from the lactating tigress for the queen pretending to be ill, he faces many challenges including a fierce battle with a pirate named Vavara of Muslim faith, according to mythology.
Yakshagana prasangas staged in the coastal region of the state enact this battle and also depict that Vavara obtained ‘moksha’ (salvation) at the hands of Lord Ayyappa. Vavara has for long been considered as Ayyappa’s friend.
Baroda-based entrepreneur and Yakshagana patron Shashidhar Shetty, while addressing the gathering during the ‘Brahmakalashotsava’ (consecration) of Lord Ayyappa temple at Ujire near here recently, had denounced the depiction of Vavara obtaining ‘moksha’.
Following objections to the glorification of Vavara with God-like attributes in ‘prasangas’ on Ayyappa, Yakshagana melas like Gejjegiri, Pavanje and Sasihitlu Bhagavathi have decided to exclude the role of Vavara in their forthcoming performances on Ayyappa.
“Vavara’s role should be excluded from prasangas on Ayyappa in order to stop sending wrong messages to our children,” Shetty told DH.
“Due to the glorification of Vavara, pilgrims from Dakshina Kannada district offer prayers at the dargah dedicated to Vavara, en route to Sabarimala,” he said. “I neither like to court controversies nor do I oppose other religions. There is lot of sanctity attached to ‘rangasthala’ (the stage). Yakshagana prasangas based on mythologies have huge influence on the masses. Our Sanatana Dharma is different and the religion practised by them (Muslims) is different. Thrusting beliefs of other faiths in the practices of Santana Dharma is unacceptable,” Shetty stressed.
Karnataka Yakshagana Academy president Tallur Shivaram Shetty said dropping the role of Vavara in prasangas on Ayyappa was not a good development.
Decades ago, mythologies were left untouched as people were illiterate. With education, devotion has diluted, resulting in such developments. “I have no strength to correct them,” said 75 year-old Shetty.
Yakshagana artiste Sarapady Ashok Shetty, who has been brilliantly essaying the role of Vavara, has decided to tread the middle path to avoid courting trouble. Henceforth, the role of Vavara will end abruptly with his defeat in the battle with Ayyappa and there will be no scenes of Vavara attaining salvation or being offered puja, Shashidhar Shetty said, quoting Ashok.
Yakshagana scholar Prof Prabhakar Joshi said he was not able to understand arguments that the role of Vavara was hurting religious sentiments.