Yakshagana

The pictures above are depictions of Yakshagana play.

Okay.. Let me honest..

Those pictures are of my maternal grandfather, Alike Ramayya Rai who was a very famous yakshagana artist, in a Yakshagana play. Those who can read kannada, here is a link on him.

But this link is not about him( Ya.. Ya.. I am saying this, after I have bragged about him, :P) This link is about the art itself.

Yakshagana literally means the song of ‘yakshas’. Yaksha is the name of certain celestial demigods in Hindu mythology.

Yakshagana is a traditional dance drama Indian art originated from Canara region in Karnataka . It is first mentioned in 1105. It picked up momentum in the 15th century and is the product of the Bhakthi movement in South India.

In essence, it is a form of folk art. It has borrowed some elements from the classical forms of drama and dance of South India. In the ancient time Yakshagana would be performed to the music played at the courts of feudal lords.

Most of the times, Yakshagana is performed only by men. The performance of Yakshagana is conducted in the orchestra, consisting of drums, stringed instruments and cymbals. One of the most interesting aspects of Yakshagana is its elaborate make-up code and large costumes.

The performances of Yakshagana generally depict scenes from South Indian epics and Indian epics (Ramayana and Mahabharata). There are two styles of performance in Yakshagana. That is Northern Yakshagana and Southern Yakshagana.

Video below is a yakshagana performance of "Kamsavadhanam"( Killing of Kamsa - a story in the Mahabharata ). Kamsavadham, a tale which depicts the killing of Kamsa, the evil uncle of Lord Krishna is a dance form in Yakshagana. This video shows parts of the complete Kamsavadhanam performance.



You can read more about Yakshagana in the wiki over here.
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