Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)
Bengaluru, Sep 18: Yakshagana Academy awards for the current year have been announced. The coveted 'Parthisubba Puraskara' is awarded to senior yakshagana playback singer and writer of prasanga book, a resident of Moodbidri, Balipa Narayana Bhagavath.
Five other Yakshagana artistes like Yallapura Shankara Bhagavath, Keshava Bhat of Ira village in Bantwal Taluk, D Sridhar Hande of Kota, A M Shivashankaraiah of Aralaguppe in Tiptur and Kariyanna of Rajajinagar are selected for the honorary awards.
Prof M A Hegde, president of Karnataka Yakshagana Academy, released the list of awardees in a press conference on Monday, September 17.
Balipa Narayana Bhagavath
Parthisubba award comprises of Rs one lac in cash, while the honorary awards are given Rs 50,000 in cash plus a memento and citation.
'Balipara Jayalaxmi', a collection of prasangas written by Balipa Narayana Bhagavath and 'Yakshagana Angopanga Samatholana Vichara', a research scripture written by Prof G S Bhat are selected for the special book awards. This award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000.
The award ceremony will be held either in the last week of September or first week of October as per the information given by the president of the Yakshagana Academy.
About Balipa Narayana Bhagavath
Balipa Narayana Bhagavath is a renowned name in the Thenkuthittu yakshagana playback singing. He was born on March 13, 1938, in Padre village of Kasargod to Balipa Madhava Bhat and Saraswati Amma couple. Though he is educated only till the seventh standard, his experience and knowledge is of the highest order. Balipa Narayana Bhagavath entered the Yakshagana field at the age of 13. He has the experience of founding Padre Jatadari Mela.
Balipa Narayana Bhagavatha can recite by heart more than 50 prasangas. He has also scripted 30 published and 15 unpublished prasangas of yakshagana.
In Yakshagana singing the voice of Balipa is unmatched. His golden voice and the way of rendering the playback songs elevates the whole presentation of yakshagana art. He is the only Bhagavath, who has done playback singing for more than 50 long years and who knows exactly the playback singing of Poorvaranga.
Such a well-known and learned artist Balipa Narayana Bhagavath is conferred with numerous awards. Some of them are as follows:
Karnataka Rajyotsava Award of 2010
Samaga Award of 2012
Jnana Prashasti of 2003 awarded by Karnataka Janapada and Yakshagana Academy
Doddamane Lingegowda award of 2002 awarded by Karnataka Janapada Parishad
Karnataka Shree award of 2003 awarded at 71st All India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana
Agari Prashasti of 2002 awarded by Graduate Yakshagana Mandali, Mumbai
Sheni award of 2002
Kavi Muddana award of 2003
Koodlu Subraya Shanubhogue award of 2003
State level felicitation at Bengaluru in 2003 by State Bank of Mysuru
Felicitation in Dubai by Karnataka Sangha in 1988