Sacred Dance of India

Author(s): Mrinalini Sarabhai
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 35

Yakshagana
In the South and North Kanara districts of the State of Karnataka, the dance-drama is known as Yakshagana or Bayalata Yakshagana was primarily a form of ballad and the players were called 'Yakshas' It was around the 16th century that musical plays were written by famous composers The themes enacted were from the Bhagavatam, and the emphasis was on the child Krishna and His brother Balarama The Sutradhāra introduces the young
when the play commences It was later the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata were included Linked deeply with religious fervour, the great saint Madhavacharya influenced the theme of the stories As in other dancedrama forms, the Sutradhāra or Vzdushaka, introduces and keeps up a running commentary throughout the play, adding amusing and witty comments The dramas, usually, have scenes of fights and the stories have an originality of their own Interwoven through the main text are philosophical extracts and local colour Yakshagana Characters (Karnataka)
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