Declare Yakshagana as Karnataka’s ‘State Art’, Yakshagana Academy urges CM Shivakumar

Declare Yakshagana as Karnataka’s ‘State Art’, Yakshagana Academy urges CM Shivakumar

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Oct 3, 2026: The president and members of the Karnataka Yakshagana Academy have appealed to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to officially declare Yakshagana, the traditional coastal theatre form, as the ‘State Art of Karnataka’.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the Academy said official recognition would help preserve and promote Yakshagana, a centuries-old art form widely regarded as one of coastal Karnataka’s most distinctive cultural traditions.

Yakshagana is a vibrant traditional theatre form deeply rooted in Karnataka’s cultural identity. It is broadly performed in two forms — Padavalapaya and Moodalapaya. Padavalapaya includes three major styles: Thenku, Badagu and Badabadagu, and has played a significant role in preserving and promoting the Kannada language and culture.

The art form has been closely associated with the social and cultural life of coastal Karnataka, particularly Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts, for centuries. Yakshagana is not limited to dance; it brings together Bhagavathike (narration and singing), music, dialogue, acting, dance, elaborate costumes, face painting and stagecraft.

According to the Karnataka Tourism Department, Yakshagana is a unique combination of music, singing, dance and scholarly dialogue. The Academy said more than 15,000 professional artists have dedicated their lives to the art form, while thousands of amateur artists are also involved. There are more than 100 Yakshagana troupes, over 10,000 compositions and more than one million songs associated with the tradition.

The Academy also pointed out that more than 50 PhD-level studies have been undertaken on Moodalapaya and Padavalapaya Yakshagana, along with a similar body of M.Phil research.

The Academy said Yakshagana is much more than entertainment, describing it as an important cultural medium that brings music, literature, dance, acting, costumes and Indian cultural traditions together on a single stage. It also serves as a means of value-based public education and promotes human values.

The preservation of Yakshagana, the Academy said, also means supporting the livelihoods of a large number of people associated with its performances, including artists, Bhagavathas, instrumentalists, costume makers, makeup artists, stage crews, sound and lighting technicians, organisers, transport workers and other support staff.

The Academy further noted that Yakshagana has become an important attraction for cultural tourism in coastal Karnataka. The Karnataka Tourism Department promotes it as an integral part of the identity of the coastal region, while the Sangeet Natak Akademi of the Government of India recognises Yakshagana as a traditional theatre form of Karnataka.

“Considering all these aspects, Yakshagana possesses all the qualifications to be recognised as the State Art of Karnataka,” Academy president Dr. Tallur Shivarama Shetty and the members said in the appeal.

They urged the state government to declare Yakshagana as Karnataka’s official state art, similar to the recognition given to traditional art forms such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattam in Kerala, Lavani in Maharashtra and Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh, and to take special measures for its comprehensive development.