Country art, rustic best
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The yakshaganam show was a fair representation of the age-old art form.
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Visakha Music and Dance Academy organised Mahishasuramardhini, a yakshaganam, and Sri Lakshmi Vaibhavam for the local Kaveri Kannada Sangham to a houseful audience at Kalabharati. A combination of dance, drama and song coupled with linking narration of some select and popular myths, all in their rustic form, used to be a popular way of appeasing the gods and exorcising the evil spirits. Keeping pace with the advent and evolvement of civilisation, it as well achieved some form of attractive artistry in its presentation and has come to be known as Yakshaganam.
The torchbearers of this form of the countryside art, Govinda Bhatt and party comprising a score of artistes under the banner, Sri Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Kala Mandali from Dharmasthala, Udipi (South Karnataka), presented the ballet. They depicted all episodes starting from the way Mahishasura achieved irrepressible powers by penance, took pleasure in using them for inflicting undue pain upon others and his ultimate end in the hands of the Devi who came to be known as Mahishasuramardhini.
The minute but not altogether inconspicuous changes in the mode of singing and dancing, with the attitude and attire reminding some old movies notwithstanding, the show was a fair representation of the age-old art form.
The same was the impression that was left behind by Dinabaan Mahatho and his team which presented the same story in the age-old Purilia tradition of West Bengal under the aegis of the local chapter of Spic-Macay at four different venues in Visakhapatnam during the same week.
A posy of noble thoughts
Overwhelming response marked the decennial celebration of the Centre for Policy Studies held recently in the Public Library, Dwarakanagar. The gathering, including the learned dignitaries on the dais representing the cream of the elite, lent an impression of being a posy of noble thoughts.
Thanks to the intellectual leadership provided with irresistible zeal and soulful involvement by its director, Ayyagari Prasanna Kumar (former professor and Head of the Department of Politics and Rector of Andhra University), the centre came to be identified as the most valuable forum for the discrete academician, intellectual and the expert.
The decennial function was presided over by the current president of the centre and the Gayatri Vidya Parishad (the centre is now under the tutelage of the Parishad) and renowned physician, Dr. B. Swamy. Three books — Foot Prints of Divinity, Reflection on Religion and Philosophy, and The decennial volume of the Centre - 2nd Oct., 1995 - 2005 were released.
A. RAMANLINGA SASTRY
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