Report and pics by Shekhar Ajekar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (RD/SP)
Mangalore, Jun 11: ‘Dashavatara’, a Yakshagana episode based on Indian mythology, wherein the story of ten incarnations (Avatars) of Lord Vishnu, aimed at decimating the demons and the evil people and protecting the noble ones is narrated, was performed at Town Hall, here recently.
The Yakshagana episode of Dashavatara, which has become very rare of late, was organized by professional yakshagana artiste Venoor Ashok Acharya.
About 50 Yakshagana artistes, both amateur and professional, took part in the episode, donning various roles, to the background score of traditional music handled by around 20 musicians.
It was in the ancient times, that Yakshagana performances used to be held in two different stages set up at the venue. Accordingly, two different styles of the art form, Badagutittu (Uttara Kannada style of Yakshagana) and Tenkutittu (undivided Dakshina Kannada style of yakshagana) were exhibited on the occasion.
The Yakshagana artistes enthralled the viewers by presenting before them different roles of Lord Maha Vishnu that ranged from fish, turtle, pig, Narasimha, young Brahmin boy, Bhargava, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki.
Aruva Koragappa Shetty, K Govind Bhat, Peruvai Narayan Shetty, Teertahalli Gopal Acharya, Siddakatte Vishwanath Shetty, Jabbar Samo, M K Ramesh Acharya, D Manohar Kumar, Balipa Narayan Bhagavat, Padyana Ganapati Bhat, Kabanoor Sridar Rao, Bottikere Purushottam Poonja, K J Ganesh Acharya brothers, Kannadikatte Ravichandra and several other artistes were involved with the staging ‘Dashavatara’ Yakshagana play before a packed audience, at Town Hall, here.