Sri Veerendra Heggade,conferred the "Padma Bhushana":

Kille Centenary :

Yakshagana Conference at Mangalore:

Vittal Shetty Honoured :

Mahamastakabhisheka at Venur :

Muliya is no more :

Exhibition of Yakshagana dolls from March 25:

35 artistes to receive State Yakshagana academy awards:

Maravanthe Dasa Bhagavatha Passes away

Suragikatte Basava is No More

 

 

Sri Veerendra Heggade,conferred the "Padma Bhushana"

We respectfully congratulate Sri. Dr. Sri Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmastala, on his being conferred the prestigious "Padma Bhushana" Award for his multifarious social service.  The award has been by the Govt. of India for his services in the field of education, religion and social welfare.  Sri.Heggade heads a number of institutions dedicated to service.  His "Gramabhivriddhi Yojana" (village upliftment project) has won special appreciation all over.  There is a Yakshagana Troupe under his leadership. The "Dharmastala Mela" as it is popularly known, has a history of over two centuries.  We congratulate him and wish him greater laurels.

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Kille Centenary :

Sri Narayana Kille Birth Centenary programmes were recently inaugrated at
Mangalore, with a daylong deliberations including seminars and Talamaddale.Sri. N.S. Kille(1900-1952) was a freedom fighter and social worker besides being a famous arthadari in the Talamaddale.  He was known for his powers as an orator and a performer.  He was a dedicated Gandhian.  Kille centenary programmes will to be held all over the State and will culminate with a grand validictory in January 2001.

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Vittal Shetty Honoured

Senior Yakshagana troupe owner and organiser Kalladi Vittal Shetty was honoured at his native place Ira, near Mangalore by the Ira Youth Club in a grand function. Various speakers lauded Kalladi's service spanning 50 years as a successful art organiser.

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Mahamastakabhisheka at Venur

A Mahamastakabhisheka festival was held at the famous Jain pilgrim centre Venur from 13th to 18th of March. This ceremony and festival is held in honour of Bahubali the great tapasvi. A magnificient statue of Sri Bahubali stands at Venur. This grand ceremony was held 44 years back. Over 3 lack people visited the festival, which was well organised by a committee led by Sri. D. Veerendra Heggade of Dharmastala.

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Muliya is no more

Talamaddale artist, critic, researcher Sri. Muliya Mahabala Bhat, Advocate died recently. He was 75. He has written and edited books on Yakshagana. He has also conducted some workshops. He was known for his quality performance, and balanced views as a critic.

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Exhibition of Yakshagana dolls from March 25
BANGALORE, March 14 (DHNS)

A seven-day exhibition of dolls depicting characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata in Yakshagana tradition will be held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan from March 25 to 31.
Eminent artists Manorama and Raman, who have no formal training in making dolls have created 25 dolls based on Yakshagana traditions, which are highly colourful with rich costumes and expressions. The eight inch figures are made of resin.
Various costumes worn by Yakshagana artistes were studied in detail and sketches were made to record these details in addition to photographs. Based on all this information, various characters were carved in plaster of paris. Moulds were taken from these and replicas cast.
These dolls will be on permanent display at a museum in Saligrama, Kundapur taluk in Udupi district in memory of eminent Kannada litterateur Shivarama Karanth.
There will be demonstration on doll-making by the artists during the exhibition.

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35 artistes to receive State Yakshagana academy awards

BANGALORE, Jan 20 (DHNS)

Karnataka Janapada and Yakshagana Academy has announced its awards for the year 1999 to 35 persons for excellance in various sections of art.
Academy Chairman Dr Kalegowda Nagawara announced the list of awardees here today. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5000, a shawl and a momento. They will be given away at Janapada Loka in Ramanagara, Bangalore rural district in February.
Following is the list of awardees: Mr Sambanna Puruwanta, Gulbarga (Ekatari), Mr Siddaramappa Kaplapure, Bidar, (folk song), Mr Parasappa Kallappa Atheppanavar, Bijapura (Kardi Majalu), Mr Rmanna Venkappa Shirola, Bagalakote (Krishna Parijata), Ms Malabai Santrama Sambrekara, Belgaum (Krishna Parijata), Mr Tulsappa Hanumappa Dasara, Dharawad, (Gee Gee Pada), Mr Damlappa Jampaleppa Lamani, Gadaga (Doddaata), Mr Channabasappa Basappa Ajagondra, Haveri (Doddaata); Mr Belagallu Veeranna, Bellary (Togalu Bombeyaata) Mr Imam Saheb, Koppala, (folk song), Ms Shantamma, Chitradurga (flok lore), Mr Rudrappa, Davanagere, (Bala Basav), Mr Lingappa Mannoor, Raichur (folk song), Mr N Sanjeevappa, Kolar (Bayalaata), Mr Madganahatti Dasappa, Tumkur (Junjappa Mahakaavya), Mr Dombara Hucchappa, Shimoga (Dollina
Haadu), Mr Gode Narayana Hegde, Uttara Kannada, (Yakshagana-male character), Mr Kunjalu Ramakrishna Nayak, Udupi (Yakshagan-comedian), Mr Pakkala Kunja Krishna Nayak, Dakshina Kannada (Yakshagana- male character), Mr Dodda Giriyappa, Chickmaglur (Veeragase), Mr Malaiah, Hassan, (Tamburipada) Mr
Puttalingaiah, Bangalore rural (Bhagavantike Mela), Mr Chikkanarasappa,
Bangalore urban (Tamate Vaadana), Ms Hanumamma, Mandya (Sobane Pada), Ms Katte Siddamma, Mysore (Sobane Pada), Mr Kuntoor Kala Shetti, Chamarajanagara (Neelagararu), Mr Harijan K Narasaaiah, Kodagu (Mori Vaadya).
Special award for outside Kannadaiga Mr Kedgadi Guddappa Gowda, Kasaragod, (Yakshagana), Scheduled Tribe special award for Mr Chinnaiah, Ramanagara taluk, (Iruligaru singing), and Folk Music special award Mr Bananduru Kempaiah.
Folklore experts award: Dr H J Lakkappa Gowda, Dr M N Wali and
Dr N Thapaswikumar.
The Academy has given awards for best folk lore books for the year 1998 to the following works, which carries Rs 3,000 each cash prize. They are, 'Bhagavathi Aaraadhane` (research work) by Prof Amruta Someshwara and 'Maatinaragini` (folk story collection) by Dr P K Rajashekhara.
Announcing the names of the awardees here today, Dr Nagawara urged the State government to give the annual 'Janapada Shree` awards to at least five folk lore artists for the next 20 years. At present, one Janapada Shree award is being given every year.
He noted that a large number of folk lore artists are there in the State and the ''best`` of them cannot be covered under the existing scheme. He also said that the Academy will hold a convention of Yakshagana artists from Canara districts at Mangala Gangotri in Mangalore on March 14 and 15. 

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Maravanthe Dasa Bhagavatha Passes away

Senior yakshagana Bhagavatha, Maravanthe Narasimha Dasa passed away at Maravanthe recently. He was 80. Considerd to be one of the greats of his time, Dasa Bhagawatha represented high standard traditional singing. In his death, Yakshagana has lost a very important representative of pristine Badaguthittu singing. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Born in a family of a singing community DASARU,  Narasimha had the guidance of great artists like Sheshagiri Bhaghawatha and Veerabhadra nayak. Endowed with a sweet and powerful voice ideally suited for yakshagana,he became a star by the age of twenty five. Dasa was outstanding in his grip of raga, rhythm and purity of style. His singing was very effective. He has service of about fifty TIRUGATAS (tour season).  He was well versed in both Thenku and Badagu styles, a rare accomplishment. He was recipient of Karnataka Folklore Academy Award and Polya Dejappa Shetty Award besides many public honours.

His brothers Late Shina Dasa was also a leading Bhagawatha.

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Suragikatte Basava is No More

Leading Maddale player Suragikatte Basava Ganiga died at his native recently at the age of 73. A disciple of Guru Gopala Rao, Basava served yakshagana for five decades and for 45 years in the famous Mandarthi troupe alone. He began his career as an actor, and later shifted to Maddale. Basava Ganiga is considerd to be a high quality purcussionist and a master of tradition and stage convention. He is survived by his wife and four children.

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