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North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance

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Mangaluru: Yakshagana is a distinct folk art of Karnataka and is widely seen in undivided Dakshina Kannada district and Kasargod district. Though people from North Karnataka are not much familiar with this folk art, their children who are studying in a government school in the city are eagerly waiting to exhibit their talent in Yakshagana.

Over 45 students who have been studying in Government Primary and High School at Mullakadu, are learning Yakshagana from the past three months. Among the 45 students, most are from North Karnataka districts like Belgaum, Bijapur, Bagalkot, Bidar, Bellary, Gulbarga and Yadagiri among others. Their parents are migrants working as construction laborers, drivers and daily wagers. As their income is limited, they send their children to government schools. Yakshagana programmes are more prevalent in Mangaluru and other surrounding areas and the students of North Karnataka are attracted to this art.

After noticing the interest of students, the `Rishi Samajika Samskruthika Pratishtana` of Beltangady taluk decided to teach Yakshagana steps to the students free of cost. They conduct three classes in a week from 8 AM to 9 PM. It is already three months now since Rishi Pratishtana started taking Yakshagana classes in Mullakadu school. As the students have learnt some steps, the Yakshagana teacher is now planning a maiden Yakshagana performance `Sudarshana Vijaya` by them.

Yakshagana teacher Vishwanath Padmunja told Newskarnataka that though it was little tough to teach Yakshagana steps to those who don’t know anything about the art, these students were easily grasping the steps. “I am very happy to teach Yakshagana steps to the people from outside our district. After learning a few steps, the students are eagerly waiting to give a stage performance. I am also very curious to see them perform”, he adds.

Why government school?
Rishi Samajika Samskruthika Pratistana President Divakar Padmunja informed why they had chosen government school to teach Yakshagana. Divakar Padmunja says that those studying in private schools are usually attracted to western dance and the parents also don’t want their children to learn folk art. “Hence, we decided to teach Yakshagana to government school students. As Yakshagana is a folk art of the coastal region, we need to expand it to other regions also. If we take our art to other districts, the scope of Yakshagana also expands”, he adds.

‘Costumes of Yakshagana attracted me’
Srujan Davanagere, an eighth standard student of Mullakadu Government High School will be performing the lead role of Sudarashana in `Sudarshana Vijaya` Yakshagana Prasanga. Speaking to Newskarnataka he said, “I used to participate in competitions like `Pratibha Karanji.` As I like the costumes of Yakshagana, I was attract upon this art”, he says.

Kaveri Notagar of Bagalkot district, who is studying in seventh standard in Mullakadu Primary School is doing the role of a demon. `”Though I wanted to learn Bharatanatyam, my parents could not afford to pay the fees. As we don’t need to pay any fee to learn Yakshagana, I joined it”, she says.

North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance
North Karnataka students to do maiden Yakshagana performance

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Ganesh Mavanji

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