Association to stage Konkani Yakshagana

Association to stage Konkani Yakshagana

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Feb 11, 2015 : Konkani Samskrithika Sangha, Mangaluru-based association is all set to stage an Yakshagana play in Konkani for the fourth consecutive year.  The association has been staging Yakshagana plays in Konkani, in an effort to propagate Konkani language and culture.  Vishwa Konkani Kendra, Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy and GSB Seva Sangha are lending their support, said Yakshagana troupe Director M R Kamath, speaking to local media.

He said the association was founded 34 years ago by social worker and entrepreneur G G Vasudeva Prabhu, who was actively involved in Konkani movement. Konkani Samskrithika Sangha has been working towards the strengthening of Konkani speaking communities.   It comprises of 550 members, from in and around Mangaluru, representing five communities, GSB, Saraswath, Diavajna, Vaishyavani and Rajapuri Saraswath Brahmin(RSB), all of which have Konkani as their mother tongue.

He said there are 20 members in the troupe and most of them are amateur artists. The team has 10 female artistes too. Four senior citizens and four college students will perform.  Among these, senior most is Prafulla Hegde, aged 66, who will enact Goddess Lakshmi and Koravanji (the fortune teller) in the particular Yakshagana play. She, along with her nine siblings had been associated with the art since the childhood. The junior most artiste is a girl student of first year degree, aged 18, he said.

However, the bhagavathike(singing) will be in Kannada and the dialogues in Konkani. Kavyashree will perform the bhagavathike. The dialogues are scripted by Kamath himself who plays the role of a priest.  M R Kamath is a marketing executive at an Ayurvedic firm in Mangaluru. Yakshagana artiste Ravi Alevuraya Varkadi has been training the members in Yakshagana, Kamath said.

Rangasthala :   The standout feature of the Yakshagana play is that it will be performed at the traditional rangasthala set up on the stage. Rangasthala is a 12x16 feet enclosure wherein 4 feet of the space is used by the singer and her accompanists while the rest is used by the artistes.

As per the custom, the artistes should perform within this space. Last year, we used flute in the ensemble as an accompaniment.  The programme was scheduled before two and a half months ago from now. Since then, members have been practicing on Saturdays and Sundays.  In previous years, the association staged ‘Mahishasura Mardhini’, ‘Daksha Yajna’ and ‘Shri Krishna Leelamrutha’ konkani yakshagana plays.

The Konkani yakshagana play ‘Shrinivasa Kalyana’ will be performed at C V Nayak Hall at Kadri road in Mangaluru on February 15.   The show will be of two and a half hours, starting from 5.30 pm. A favourable response from art lovers is requested by the assocoation.