JOIN USThere is no dearth of cultural events in the drought-hit Kolar district.
Performers and performances found abundantly here include folk singers, patta kunitha, Nandidhwaja, dollu, veeragase, playwrights, discourses, musicians, tiger dance, Karaga natya and Bhartanatyam to mention a few art forms.
Once a year there is a performance of the male-dominated coastal art form of Yakshagana. Hundreds of residents from the coastal district along with local art enthusiasts attend the annual Yakshagana performance. Enthused by the response, Yakshagana artistes from Dakshina Kannada make it a point to perform in Kolar.
The credit for organising the annual event goes to Karavali Kannadigara Sangha, established by migrants who came here during the last two decades. Yakashana performances have been conducted here for the last eight years.
Over a hundred families from the coastal region have settled here. These include bank officers, lecturers, restaurant owners, canteen operators and sweets and savouries shop owners.
These migrants desire to keep in touch with their cultural roots and to this effect they organise the annual Yakshagana and invite artistes from their native district.
Decades ago very little was known about the Yakshagana form of dance-drama in the bayaluseema region. But now, every year, the number of audience for Yakshagana is on the rise.
“Initially the aim of organising the Yakshagana was to bring the people of the coastal region together. But now even the local people attend the performance” says Karavali Kannadigara Sangha President P Harsharaj and Secretary Naveen Brahmavar.
“Traditionally Yakshagana is not a short performance, but goes on through the night. But since the people of Kolar are not used to all-night performances. Therefore the performances are restricted to three to four hours.
Recently an “Srikrishna Garudi”, an episode was performed by the artistes of Sri Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali of Dakshina Kannada at the T Channiah Rangamandir. Many local people had attended. Even by 10.30 people did not move from their seats.
About 15 years ago residents of coastal region in the City including Umesh Rao, Raghavendra Bhat, Suresh Kamath, Shekhar Shetty and others used to organise programmes. Since the last eight years the Sangha is organising Yakshagana every year.
“Our children are not familiar with Yakshagana, but we have been brought up on this art form and therefore we miss it”, says Harsharaj.
“Yakshagana is an art form restricted to coastal region. It needs to be popularised in Kolar by the way of workshops and training programmes to introduce this art form”, says District Kannada Sahitya Parishat President G G Nagaraj.