Allow Yakshagana shows to go on till midnight, administration urged

Allow Yakshagana shows to go on till midnight, administration urged

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 29, 2021: Owners of different Yakshagana Melas (troupes) on Tuesday urged the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner to allow melas to perform prasangas till at least midnight in view of night curfew being enforced till January 7.

 

Meeting Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra under the banner of BJP Kale and Samskruthika Prakoshta, the owners informed the administration that hundreds of people depending on Yakshagana were already hit hard because of the COVID-19 pandemic since two years.

Without there being any performances, artists are not getting salaries and have been leading a difficult life. At a time when the situation appeared to be returning to normal, imposition of night curfew again has brought misery to the artists, they said. Performances already booked are getting cancelled as the programmes cannot be held during the night now.

Over 900 artists working with more than 30 troupes thus have been rendered jobless during the peak performance time, mela owners told the Deputy Commissioner. As the artists will lose income during the period, the administration should allow performances at least till midnight, they said.

The owners also urged the administration to hold discussions with representatives of melas to make alternative arrangements for them. Otherwise, artists and their family members will hold a protest demonstration in front of the district office, they said.

Senior artist Sarapadi Ashok Shetty, Rajesh Gujaran from Sasihithlu Mela, S.A. Varkadi from Mangaladevi Mela, Vinod Kumar Bajpe from Bappanadu Mela, Ramesh Kulashekara from Sunkadakatte Mela, Santhosh Shetty Kadthala from Nagashakthi Mela, artists M.K. Ramesh Acharya, Mijar Thimmappa, Srinivas Salian Bondel, Pradeep Kodyadka, Kodapadavu Dinesh Shettigar, Santhosh Karambar, Chandrashekhara Guruvayanakere, Sandesh Badagabellur and others were present.

BJP Prakoshta convener Sarapadi Ashok Shetty in a release quoted Dr. Rajendra as saying that the administration will not disturb Yakshagana performance if the government gives freedom to the district administrations with regard to night curfew.

Mr. Shetty urged elected representatives to get the night curfew order modified by the government.

Courtesy:The Hindu