The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Of Yakshagana and its first ‘flight’

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Monday, Oct 20, 2008
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Of Yakshagana and its first ‘flight’

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: They were not just child artistes, but they were credited with being the first troupe which crossed the sea to spread the flavour of Yakshagana — Karnataka’s traditional art comprising music, costumes, dance and drama, abroad.

It was three decades’ ago that the artistes of Saligrama Makkala Mela, Kota, then in undivided Dakshina Kannada district, and now in Udupi district, represented India at the World Children’s Festival in the United States.

The mela, the brainchild of national-award winning Yakshagana teachers Srinivasa Udupa and H. Sridhar Hande, made a beginning in 1975. It has provided a platform to over 500 artistes to showcase their talent ever since the past 30 years. Beginning its first performance in Mangalore, Mela took its artistes to New York, Washington, Atlanta and other places in United States in just three years of its inception.

To commemorate 30 years of performing abroad, the Mela organised a seminar, a Yakshagana performance by children, and a felicitation to Kumble Sundhara Rao, Chairman of the Karnataka Yakshagana Academy, here on Sunday.

Inaugurating the celebrations, Mr. Sundar Rao said the staging of Yakshagana performances abroad itself was an indication that the art was flourishing. Enthusiastic children, supportive parents, dedicated Yakshagana artistes and teachers could keep the art alive and propagate it. Encouragement to children at an early age, would help them learn this art and spread to for the benefit of posterity. “The art does not exist because of the Academy, but because of Yakshagana lovers. Probably, the Mela influenced formation of more Melas, including women’s troupes. As an addition Mahila Thala Maddale has also come up,” Mr. Sundar Rao said.

Later, 12 child artistes, aged below 13, staged “Krishnarjuna Kalaga.”

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