Students get a chance to learn finer points of Yakshagana

Textbooks on art form is likely to be completed by March

The Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy will organise a two-day Yakshagana art appreciation course from January 12 to kindle interest in the art form among school and college children at Panambur Nandaneshwara temple premises, Academy President Prof M L Samaga said on Monday.

Addressing a press meet here, he said that there will be an introduction to costumes, facial make up and dance movements in Yakshagana. The participants will get an opportunity to interact with Bayalata, Doddata and Yakshagana artistes. Also, the artistes will present Badaguthittu and Thenkuthittu on the occasion.

A demonstration on Doddata will be held. Saligrama Makkala Mela, Sri Durga Makkala Mela, Kateel and Dodda Basaveshwara Doddata Mandali Masanakatti will present Yakshagana and Doddata performances.

Artistes Pathala Venkatramana Bhat, Koliyr Ramachandra Rao, Kargal Vishwshwara Bhat, Dr Prabhakar Joshi, Dr Raghava Nambiar, Dr Srishaila Huddar, Sridhar Hande Kota, Devakana Krishna Bhat will be the resource persons, he said.

The workshop will be inaugurated by artiste Kolyur Ramachandra Rao.

Prof Samaga said: “We are facing a challenge of passing on the art of Yakshagana to the future generation. At a time when the youth ape and follow western culture, it is difficult to create awareness on Yakshagana among them.”

Syllabus

To a query on syllabus to Yakshagana, he said that the Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy has initiated steps to introduce junior and senior examinations in Yakshagana on the lines of Bharathnatyam and classical music.

A textbook committee has been constituted and the textbooks are likely to be  completed by March, said Prof Samaga.

The committee comprised both professional artistes and academicians, he said and added that the process is being delayed for various reasons.

Candidates would have to learn Yakshagana in Yakshagana schools. This was an attempt to standardise Yakshagana and an attempt to raise the status of Yakshagana on par with other classical art forms.

Yakshagana was an unique art. “In fact, in Yakshagana we did not have names for each movement so far. Now, with the introduction of textbooks, we have to label each and every movement and body language in the art form,” he said.

The Folklore and Yakshagana Academy in the past had brought out ‘Yakshagana prasanga maalike’ and was given to the Kannada and Culture department in every district. There was good response for the book in a few districts. “We have written to all districts to send the unsold books to those districts, where there is demand,” he said.