Moodbidri: ‘Mantapa 1000’ – Mohini Attam, Kathakkali, Add Glitter to Celebrations
Report Shekhar Ajekar
Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (SP)

Moodbidri, Apr 2:  An array of cultural programmes that were brimming with skills, mastery, and refinement levels of the artistes concerned, greeted the audience who had gathered for the 1000th one-act show of Mantapa Prabhakar Upadhya, on the morning of Friday April 2 here. The cultural extravaganza that unfolded before their eyes could not distract the Yakshagana connoisseurs from their aim of witnessing the 1000th presentation of one-act Yakshagana plays in female role by Mantapa.

The fact that a unique one-act play, that too by an actor adept at female roles, has survived 1000 shows is in itself a wonderful occasion. Because, since the last some decades, serious concerns have been raised about the survival of Yakshagana, because of changed tastes, family values, ways of living and the influence of other visual media on the people.

The programme was inaugurated by IAS officer, T Sham Bhatt, himself an avid Yakshagana patron. “Yakshagana should get national recognition. At the time of considering names for conferring Padma Shri and such other national awards, names of Yakshagana artistes are not at all being considered, as Yakshagana has not been recognized as a complete art form. The fact that Mangalore University has chosen a Yakshagana artiste recently for the honorary doctorate, has come as an encouraging sign. This may pave way for Yakshagana to get recognition at the national level,” Bhatt felt.

He also raised the topic of the demand even the experimental artistes are getting from professional Yakshagana troupes to join them. “Normally we find professional jealousy among Yakshagana artistes. But, Mantapa Prabhakar Upadhya is an exceptional personality, who never is jealous of anybody. That is why he extends both encouragement and help to other Yakshagana artistes,” he said.

Cine actor Shivaram, who presided over the inaugural, said that Yakshagana has always remained his favourite art form. He mentioned that he had participated in a Talamaddale with Sheni, representing a small mythological character. He said that it is a grand and rare feat for a person to take part in the 1000th show of his performance. “This is a moment of selfless fulfillment for the artiste,” he hailed.

Yakshagana scholar, Dr M Prabhakar Joshi, extending his wishes to the artiste, said that there are different ways in which an art can be developed. One is being inside the art, refining and expanding it from within. The other is to stay apart and developing the art through new experiments. “As far as contributing to the art of Yakshagana through experiments, Mantapa is unmatched,” he felt.

Bangalore Hotel Owners Association president, H B Rajeev Shetty, and Udupi District Kannada Sahitya Parishat president, Ambatanaya Mudrady, participated as guests.

‘Varsha Mohini’, a Mohini Attam episode, was presented by Vinita Nedungadi from Kerala. Nandakumar Nair from Kerala performed ‘Pootana Moksha’, in Kathakkali. A programme of interaction between Yakshagana stalwarts, Mantapa Prabhakar Upadhya, Dr R Ganesh, H Sridhar Hande and Dr Mahesh Adakoli, was held on the occasion.

Felicitation Committee president, Dr M Mohan Alva, honoured the guests.

Mantapa Prabhakar Upadhya performed his 1000th show amidst thunderous applause and cheering from the crowd, in the afternoon. At the felicitation programme held in the evening, Sri Vishweshateertha Swamiji of Pejawar Mutt delivered the benedictory address. State Chief Minister, B S Yeddyurappa, presided. Sadanand Maiya, head of Maiya’s Group of Hotels, Bangalore, released ‘Ananya Vyakti’ Kannada book on Mantapa Prabhakar Upadhya running into about 400 pages. Dignitaries like Pamod Hegde and Kabyady Jayaram Acharya delivered felicitation addresses, praising Mantapa for his unparalleled contribution to Yakshagana. Yakshagana Academy president, Kumble Sundar Rao, ‘Taranga’ Kannada weekly executive editor, Sandhya S Pai, Capt Ganesh Karnik, MLC and deputy chairman of Karnataka NRI Forum, MLA Abhaychandra Jain, former state minister, Amarnath Shetty, Udupi MLA, Raghupati Bhat etc., were present.

Setting aside their advancing ages and failing health, senior Yakshgana artistes like Hiriyadka Gopal Rao (92), Hosthota Manjunath Bhagawath, Balipa Narayana Bhagwat and Patal Venkatramana Bhat, who are around 85 years of age on an average, enthusiastically took part in the programmes since morning, which speaks volumes about the love and respect they have for Mantapa and his immense contribution to Yakshagana.