Celebration of the Celestials

by K. L. Kamat
Last updated : September 07,2008

Yakshagana (ya-ksha-gaa-na, roughly translated as Celebration of the Celestials)  is a complete theater which includes song, dance and drama and, is extremely popular in Malenadu, Uttara and Dakshina Kannada districts of the Karnataka State (topics - map - pictures). It is essentially a stage form which entertains and educates the rural folks. A team consists of 15-20 actors who carry their bag and baggage on their heads and walk from one village to another, covering 20-30 kilometers a day. They camp in a temple, and erect an extremely simple stage by using just four poles and many leaves for decoration. People with their families walk or ride their bullock carts to witness a performance. An episode from Ramayana or Mahabharat is elected and accordingly the team do their own make-up and wear very attractive and colorful costumes. There are no women in any team, and hence men wear saris and bras, and thus become women!

A performance is commenced with a puja to Shri Ganesh, followed by buffoonery by "Kodangis." A loud background music is provided by a chande and a maddale (various types of drums), and a tala (cymbals)  handled by a team of  three. Seated among them is Bhagavata who is the  producer, the director and the master of the ceremonies. In short, he is all in one. Every actor must have good physique and excellent stamina, and should sing, dance, act and converse the whole night. He should also have sound knowledge of Hindu scriptures. In every act, there will be gods, goddesses, kiratas (mischief mongers), kimpurushas (mythological figures) and demons. The key characters, known as "Kattu-veshas" appear after the Bhagavata, when the sleeping or drowsing audience sit erect and take keen interest in the proceedings of the stage.

There is no gate collection to any performance, and hence it is completely free from any toll (1985). A temple fund or public contributions financially support a troop. The people in distress also take vow to arrange a performance to please their family deity. There are temples where Yakshagana is performed throughout the year, except in the rainy season at their premises. Such teams are known after the temples' deities.

Table of Contents

• An Artist puts on Make-up for a Yakshagana Performance
• Dance meets Mythology
• Depiction of the Gadayudha Epic
• Kids Giving a Performance of Yakshagana
• Pictures of Yakshagana Artists
• Portrait of a Yakshagana Performer
• Portrait of a Yakshagana performer
• Portrait of a Yakshagana Artist
• Profile of a Man Dressed as Woman for a Yakshagana Performance
• The Stage for a performance of String Yakshagana
• "Where is my Mohini ?"
• A woman Yakshagana performer
• A Yakshagana Performance in Progress
• A Yakshagana Artist Poses
• Yakshagana Artist Puts on Makeup
• Yakshagana is typically performed by men only.

• The Yakshagana Kashi -- Yakshagana as devotion at Gundabala 
• Folk Artists of Karnataka -- slide show of variety of folk arts of Karnataka
• Online Folk Arts Listings from The Timeless Theater Archive
• The Yakshagana Website -- a site dedicated to the art of Yakshagana and its whereabouts

Kamat's Potpourri Timeless Theater Arts Yakshagana