From the coastal villages in Karnataka to the international border, the traditional art form of Yakshagan dance drama, she walked and developed with changes in his complicated costumes, heads, stage structure and even the themes of her performances over the decades. He mainly practiced in Udupi, Shivamogg and Chikkamagalur in Karnataka and Kasargod in Kerala, Yakshagana combines dance, music and improvised speech for narration on stage.
Shridhar Hege Kereman, an artist Yakshagans of Idagunji Mahaganapati Yakshagana Mandali Mandali Troup, says: “My great grandfather, Shivarama Hege, founded our ensemble in 1934 in 1934 in 1934 in 1934.”
For the longest time, all Yakshagana performances would play men in open fields that lasted all night from dusk to dawn. Now there are programs ranging from five minutes to five hours in air -conditioned auditoriums at any time of the day, some even perform female artists.
Yakhagana performance Credit photo: Special arrangement
Receiving new stories
One of the biggest shifts in the current Yakshagana, however, was when artists decided to use narration outside the context of Ramayan and Mahabaratha. Sharanya Ramprakash, a trained artist Yakshagana and a theater manufacturer, says: “Instead of a mythological story, Yakhagana could concentrate around Bahubali with elements of contemporary life.
He believes that this is one of the ways that this artistic form remains relevant today. “I believe that the form that listens to the current rhythm of today will not die. With changes in society, Yakshagany’s performance is improvised through his speech and narration.”
Shidhar begs to be different and say that this attempt at the current disrespect for traditional artistic form. “There are groups that consider this artistic form as industry, looking at ticket sales rather than creativity or original ideas.”
He adds: “Even if the performance is repeated in the same place with the same story and cast, people will still watch it. It’s because even if the story is the same, dance and speech will be improvised.”
Can tradition and current coexistence?
Priyanka to Mohan, artist Yakshagana and art curator with a team Suarita Arts cousl feels both traditional and current forms of Yakshagans, should be practiced. She was introduced to The ArtForm by her father to Mohan, the founder of Yaksha Degula, the Yakhagana School, founded in 1980 in Basavanagudi.
Yakhagana Artist Priyanka K. Mohan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Most of our work is based on traditional texts, but 20% of our performances bring innovations without not respecting artistic form. Some of our performances deal with current questions such as dowry, HIV, right to vote and education.”
He adds: “At the end of the day, all artistic forms communicate through stories. At first, when people did not have access to formal education, the theater was an instrument to spread awareness. If we do not say new stories now, you will not always be able to connect with more people and finally the art form.”
Priyanka says that people who claim to be Yakshagany artists without not respected those who spent years of training.
The teachings of Yakshagana, says SRIDHAR, is like learning a new language. “You have to spend time to understand its roots, stories and practices.”
Yakhagana training training Credit photo: Special arrangement
Priyanka says groups that pair film songs with Yakshagana performances, says, unacceptable. “Nor does it produce Yakshagany artists, during his complete walk between the bride and the groom.”
No matter how relevant the current stories are, says Priyanka, we still have to make traditional texts because wisdom and knowledge are transmitted through them. “Each of us promotes this artistic form by educating itself about what is the real performance of Yakshagana.”
Published – 4 July 2025 20:33
