Namma Kannada Nadu

Yakshagana is a dance drama popular in the state of Karnataka. It is believed to have evolved from pre classical music form and theatrical arts. Yakshagana is popular in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kasaragod district of Kerala. This would be considered to be a form of opera in western eyes. Actors wear costumes and enact the various roles. Traditionally, Yakshaganas would go on all night. It is sometimes simply called as Aataa in both Kannada and Tulu.

Yakshagana consists of a Himmela (background musicians) and a Mummela (dance and dialog group) which together perform a Yakshaga Prasanga. Himmela consisting of Bhagawata who is also the singer, Maddale, Hormonium for drone and loud drums. The music is based on pre-Karnataka Sangeetha Ragas characterised by melodic patterns called Mattu and Yakshagana Talas. Yakshagana performance begins at the twilight hours with the beating of several fixed compositions on drums called Peetike, for up to an hour before the 'actors' get on the stage. The actors wear resplendent costumes, head-dresses, and painted faces which they paint themselves. A performance usually depicts a story from the Hindu epics and puranas. It consists of a narrator(Baghawatha) who either narrates the story by singing or sings precomposed dialogs of a character, backed by musicians playing on traditional musical instruments as the actors dance to the music, with actions that portray the story as it is being narrated. It is not uncommon for actors to get into philosophical debates or arguments without going out of the framework of the character being enacted.

There are two variants of Yakshagana. The two styles differentiate from one another through the instruments played & costumes displayed.

The Tenkutittu style, is prevalent in Southern areas of South Canara, that is, from Mulki to Kasargod. One notable practitioner of Tenkutittu style Yakshagana was the late Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat.

The second variation, the Badagutittu style is prevalent in Northern parts of South Canara, from Padubidri to Byndoor and North Kanara District. The Badagutittu style was popularized by Shivram Karanth's Yakshagana Mandira at Saligrama village in Dakshina Kannada. Keremane Shivarama Heggade, the founder of the Yakshagana troupe, Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali is an exponent of this style of Yakshagana. He is also the first Yakshagana artist to receive the Rashtrapati Award.

Keremane Shivarama Hegde was born in Keremane, Honnavar taluk of the Uttara Kannada district on 21 June, 1908. He could not complete his primary education because of poverty and to earn a living he had to do odd jobs like driving a bus and booking tickets. He started performing Yakshagana from a young age of age of 14 and in the year 1934, he started his own troupe called as Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali. A famous temple of the God is located in the village of Idagunji in the Uttara Kannada district. He toured around the state of Karnataka with his troupe and started earning various awards for his efforts. He won the state award in 1965, Central Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1970 and a Rajyotsava Award in 1985. The highest award won by him was the Rashtrapati Award. His autobiography called as Nenapina Rangasthala was recorded on cassette by G S Bhat in 1981 and published as a book by the Akshara Prakashana, Heggodu in the year 1996.

Kermane Shambhu Hegde, son of Shivarama Hegde also entered the field of Yakshagana like his father and also earned various awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi award. He brought in changes to the Yakshagana tradition by introducing truncated versions of the art form to make it more acceptable to people outside its traditional base. He went on to become the chairman of the Karnataka Janapada and Yakshagana Academy. He has also acted in films and won the Karnataka State Film award for his supporting role in the Kannada film, Parva in the year 2001-2002. He is a member of the Governing body of the South Zone Cultural Centre and also a member of Rangasamaja which looks after the working of the repertory Rangayana.

Keremane Shivananda Hegde, son of Shambhu Hegde and is another exponent of Yakshagana. He has toured abroad with the troupe and was also invited to participate in the Asia-Pacific Performance Exchange (APPEX) workshop held in the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also learnt Kathak and choreography under the guidance of Kathak artist Maya Rao.

Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali has given performances all over India and overseas as well. Under the sponsorship of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, the troupe undertook a tour of South East Asia in August 2000, where they gave performances in Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos and Philippines. The troupe has also given performance in Vasantahabba 2002.They have also given performances in New York and Atlanta.



Update : Keremanmanmane Shambhu Hegde, a renowned Yakshagana artiste and former president of state Yakshagana and Janapada Academy, died of cardiac arrest at Idagunji, his native place at 4.30 am on 02/03/2009 . He was 71. He complained of chest pain after playing the role of Rama in a Ramayana episode, Lava-Kusha Kalaga (war) at Idagunji.
He was still wearing the costume.