Yakshagana, Kola Showcase Tulu Nadu Culture in Kuwait

Report & pics by Wilson Saldanha, Shirthady/ Kuwait

• Photo Album - Yakshagana & Kola
• Photo Album - Crowd

Kuwait, May 30: Bunts Association staged ‘Koti Chennaya’ Yakshagana play, on Friday May 30, for the first time in the history of Tulu cultural extravaganza in oil rich nation at Kuwait Fencing Society Hall, Da'ya to mark their seventh anniversary celebrations.

The program started at 3.00 pm with prayer by Supreetha V. Shetty and Nalini P. Shetty followed by welcome dance by Laxmi K. Shetty and Twinkle S. Shetty.  President Divin Menda welcomed the gathering with a speech.  The President Divin Menda along with the managing committee members and guest of honor K. Narasimha rao, First Secretary (Labor Welfare) of Indian Embassy inaugurated the cultural event symbolically by lighting the lamp followed by release of souvenir.

Yakshagana Artiste Puttur Sridar Bhandary was honored with flowers, fruits, shawl and momento.  He thanked for inviting them to perform and requested to continue the same in future too to invite the tulunadu artists.  Some of the selected well wishers too were honored for their contribution towards the success of the program.

Shalini Y. Alva, Amita S. Shetty Akshata A. Hegde, Supreetha V. Shetty, Laxmi G. Hegde, Amita S. Shetty,  Maria S. Shetty  and Sanmathi D. Menda entertained the audience by their superb dance performance.

Bunts traditional Cultural Program  ‘Kola’ was enacted by Bunts members Arun Shetty, Sudharshan Raju Shetty, Yadunath Alva, Mrs.Shalini Yadu Alva, Charit Shetty, Sanath Kumar Shetty,Umesh Shetty, Mrs. Ashwin K.Alva, Madhav Raj Rai, Kishor Shetty B.,Vivek Shetty, Karunakar Shetty, Chandrahas Shetty, Sudhakar Shetty Aikala, Satishchandra Shetty, Kishor Alva, Guru Hegde, Loknath Shetty, Surendra Shetty and Santhosh Shetty.

After a short break, long waited ‘Koti Chennaya’ Yakshagana play was started with a round of applause from the audience.  Veteran native artistes ‘Pundu Veshada Gandugali’, ‘Diginada Raaja’, ‘Putturda Muttu’, ‘Yaksha Naatya Chatura’ titled Puttur Sridar Bhandary, ‘Bhaavarasa Ghambheerya’ famed Bhagawat Padyana Ganapati Bhat and comedian Bantwal Jayaram Acharya along with Ganesh Adoor, Jayaram Bhat, Jay Prakash Shetty, prajwal Kumar, and Sunil Bhandari enthralled the audience by performing ‘Koti – Chennaya’ yakshagana play, depicting the struggles and victories of Tulu Nadu’s heroic icons against oppression in the bye gone era.

It was a great effort from Kuwait Bunts to organize such a free show to enliven the glorious past of Tulu Nadu when the heroic icons, ‘Koti –Chennaya’ lived in the coastal district.  The Kanndiga and Tulu  expatriates serving in Kuwait really had a rare once in a life time experience of watching live Yakshagana play that too with no entry tickets.

The program was well compered by Shalini Vijay Shetty, coordinated by Divin Kumar Menda, Sound & lights provided by Illuminations’.  The program came to an end with delicious dinner.