The Hindu

Mangalore, Sep 10: In its efforts to strengthen and popularise “Talamaddale”, the oral form of Yakshagana, the Karnataka Yakshagana Academy will organise “prasanga pravachana parva” which includes conducting a series of “Talamaddale” programmes in different parts of the State, from Thursday.

The programmes will be held in select places in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Shimoga districts apart from Bangalore.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, president of the academy Kumble Sundar Rao said the series of programmes was aimed at rekindling the people’s interest in this art form. It was also to restore the past glory that this part of the State had while fostering “Talamaddale” through some very seasoned exponents.

In each such programme, senior exponents of “Talamaddale” would be felicitated with a token cash award of Rs. 1,000 each, he said. The first programme of the series would be held at Kadri in Mangalore on Thursday. C.B.N. Damodhar Acharya, a senior “Arthadhari” (oral artiste), would be the first to receive the honour here.

Bio-data of artistes

The academy had undertaken compilation of bio-data of Yakshagana artistes who had been performing for more than a decade. Two of the academy members were working on it. The academy would bring out this information either in the form of a book or in digitised format, he said.

He said that in addition, the academy had chalked out a plan to popularise Yakshagana in the Malnad area. As part of this, it would instruct schoolteachers on the dance form at the Teachers’ Training Institute at Shimoga shortly. The training would be for four months, after which a performance would be presented. Those trained would be urged to pass on this knowledge to their students.

The academy planned to create more awareness on Yakshagana among schoolchildren, through the Department of Public Instruction, under the “Yaksha Shikshana” scheme. The Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri, had shown interest in this initiative. Yakshagana would have a future only if the youth were drawn to this art form, Mr. Rao added.