Yakshagana: Transcendence of space and time
By Kerri Meulemans
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Yakshagana, a form of opera in the eyes of many Western cultures, is a classical folk art/drama
form from the state of Karnataka in India. Also known as Aataa (meaning play), Yakshagana actors
wear costumes and engage in role-playing, sometimes for the duration of an entire night.
Yakshagana is a traditional theater form combining dance, music, spoken word, costume, makeup,
and distinct stage technique. Yakshagana is a theater form that resists one singular classification.
Rather, its pluralistic nature allows it to encompass folk, classical, and rural forms of theatrical
interpretation, leaving it a dramatic form as distinct as those who embrace it.
Yakshagana plays boast an exceptional blend of stylistic elements from Sanskrit drama. The end
result is a vivid combination of classical music and singing, refined choreography, and ancient texts.
A Yakshagana performance begins at twilight, with the sound of the beating of drums prefacing the
appearance of its actors, sometimes hours in advance. The actors don resplendent costumes,
faces which they each paint themselves, and headdresses. A performance typically depicts a tale
from the Hindu epics and puranas. It is accompanied by a narrator who tells the story in a song-like
fashion, backed by musicians playing traditional musical instruments. The actors dance to the
melodies with actions, gestures, and movements that unravel the story as it is told. Actual dialogue
from the actors is limited, and the play emphasizes sensory interpretation and the ability to "feel" the
performance.
Experts have placed the origin of Yakshagana from around the 11th century to the 16th century, but
most scripts seem to have been written following the 15th century. We can reasonably conclude that
the Yakshagana of modern times must have been the result of a slow evolution, drawing its
elements from an array of constructs to include ritual theater, temple arts, secular arts like Bahurupi,
royal courts of the time, and artistic imagination. These constructs transcended over time to
encompass a drama form that was able to retain its secular origin while simultaneously reinventing
itself across the periods.
There are two variants of Yakshagana: the Badagutittu style, and the Tenkutittu style. The
Badagutittu style is most prevalant in Northern parts of Tulu Nadu, that is, from Padubidri to
Byndoor, while the Tenkutittu style is most prevalent in Southern areas of Tulu Nadu, that is, from
Mulki to Kasargod. Each style is representative of the individual people of the region it is
characteristic of, leaving boundless opportunities for the implementation of unique personal and
cultural flare.
Yakshagana is one of the most vibrant art/drama traditions in the world. It has a membership of
approximately 30 full-fledged professional troupes, and about 200 amateur troupes. Professional
troupes tour between the months of November and May, performing roughly 180 to 200 shows. This
is the equivalent of a full night's show every day of the tour.
In addition to the annual tours, approximately 1,000 professional artists and countless amateurs
perform Yakshagana art and drama independently. Off-season shows during the wet season,
anniversary shows and collegiate performances ensure that Karnataka witnesses about 12,000
Yakshagana performances every year, a testament to the purity and symbolic nature of Yakshagana
as a cultural artifact. Moreover, Yakshagana is able to retain the continuity of its character in spite of
the rapid influx of modernization and urbanization that often detracts from indigenous art forms.
Another interesting facet of Yakshagana is its utilization of puppetry. Yakshagana puppets are as
stylized as its actors, generally standing 18 inches high and mirroring costumes and makeup worn
by performers. The presentation at this puppetry is highly stylized and adheres strictly to the norms
and standards of Yakshagana. The individual who infuses life into the puppet by way of dexterous
manipulation is known as the Suthradhara, with the content of Yakshagana puppetry being drawn
heavily from the ancient epics.
Yuri Kochiyama once said, "I don't think there will ever be a time when people will stop wanting to
bring about change." As Yakshagana evolves across the cultural continuum, it personifies this
statement into a cultural artifact that both revolutionizes itself with the passing of time, and retains its
indigenous origins.