Yakshagana Bhagavatha to leave for California today

Senior Yakshagana Bhagavatha K J Ganesh Kidiyoor is heading to California, USA, on Tuesday to participate in a two-day Yakshagana conference and stage shows in San Jose Evergreen Valley High School, California, to be held on August 3 and 4.

Speaking to media persons, Kidiyoor said that this is his sixth visit to the USA and added that the Yakshagana conference is jointly organised by Sanatana Yaksha Ranga Cultural Center, California and Kannada Koota, Northern California (KKNC). The conference will host ‘Bhagavathike’ by Kidiyoor and Patla Sathish Shetty on August 3.

He said the artistes, under the direction of Ganesh Kidiyoor, will stage a Yakshagana show ‘Bheeshma Vijaya’ on the same day.

‘Yaksha Natya Vaibhava’ dance ballet and a Yakshagana show ‘Narakasura Vadhe’ by Patla Sathish Shetty will be held on August 4.

Training programme

Following the two day programme in California, Kidiyoor will take up a training programme on Yakshagana to the interested in California.

After one month, the trained people will present a Yakshagana show at the end, he said.

More than 20 Yakshagana enthusiasts have enrolled for the training programme, he added.

Kidiyoor is the main singer (Bhagavatha) at Sri Lakshmi Janardhana Yakshagana Kala Mandali, Ambalapadi.

He has also trained interested people during his earlier visits to the USA.

With the expertise of over 40 years in the art field, Kidiyoor was mentored by Babu Shettigar. He is known for his mastery in playing the instruments, like Maddale and Chende.

He is also known for his command over the narrative structure of the stories that appear in epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha.