Vivid shades of an epic

A Yakshagana performance, titled Gadha-Yuddha, was organised recently in the City.

Organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations in collaboration with the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, the performance was presented by the members of the Karnataka Sanskruthika Kala Pratishthana.

Held under the ‘Horizon’ series, the show portrayed scenes from the Mahabharatha. The ten-member troupe showcased the war scene between the Kauravas and Bhima.
The accompanying singers rendered the poetry and the performers had to say the dialogues according to the situation they portrayed.

Suryanarayana Panjaje, the convenor of the Karnataka Sanskruthika Kala Pratishthana said, “This performance normally lasts three to four hours but we shortened the whole sequence for the audience to understand it. There are a lot of working professionals who have taken up Yakshagana as a hobby. We had professionals performing along with amateurs.”

The performance had all the trappings of a professional drama troupe. Emotions of joy, sadness, anger and resentment were portrayed rather well by the artists. There were powerful emotions running through the entire performance. Gopal Kumble, a Yakshagana exponent, has been performing for the last 30 years. “I have been learning the art form since my younger days. Yakshagana would always be a night-long affair but now it’s much shorter. The real challenge during this performance was to say the dialogues in keeping with the tempo of every piece,” he said.

This particular performance had more than ten members on stage, mostly amateurs. “But their dedication and commitment to preserving and popularising the art form is worth watching,” added Gopal.

The audience felt that the theme of war was presented very well. Said Sukhanya Raj, a member of the audience, “It is nice when we get to see the old forms of art and dance being given a platform in the City. The scenes were portrayed in the best way possible by the artistes.”