A view of .the Yakshauana Seminar in session. (Left to Right): Shri K.S. Karanth, Convener, Shri Baikadi Ven­ kata Krishna Rao, Secretary, Reception Committee, and Shri Sheshagiri Kini,President, Reception Committee YAKSHAGANA SEMINAR Shri K. s. Karanth's Report

A seminar on Yakshagana-a dance drama-art-prevailing in the Malanad area of Karnataka . was organised at Brahmavar (South Kanara) from September 27 to 30, 1958, with the object of formulating a scheme for the revival and preservation of the best in the traditions of Yakshagana. A brief report of the same is as follows:

Invitations were sent to various drama Brahmavar was chosen as the venue of the troupes and artistes, i.e., Bhagawaths, drummers Conference because of its historical importance and dancers. All veterans, including retired to the tradition of Yakshagana art as well as for artistes, were also approached. Enough publi­ the fact that it lay in a centrally situated area City was given through language papers and a around which many troupes flourished and reception committee was formed at Brahmavar many artistes practised their profession. with- Shri Sheshagiri Bhagawath, a veteran in the field, as the Chairman and Shri Rama Ganiga, Shri B. V. Achar of Brahmavar took up the a veteran dancer, as Vice-Chairman. All entire responsibility of playing the host to all artistes intending to participate in the seminar the delegates coming to the seminar. The were requested to intimate earlier about their other expenses were borne by the organiser. 9ualifications, such as professional experience Shri Achar's generosity made the organiser's In the field of dance, music, etc. job monetarily easy.

1 The Yakshagana Seminar in session

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, art form having an all-India appeal. Uptil was informed of the seminar in advance and now this dance-drama, by laying much stress it took great interest in the same. Shri Govind on language-i-Kannada prose-had limited its Vidyarthi, Technical Officer of the Akademi, activities to the Kannada-speaking world. was deputed to attend the seminar and he Because of its rich music, rhythmic dance, covered the entire proceedings through the and delightful costumes, it has all the ele­ medium of film and sound. ments that will have a universal appeal which need not be hampered by the limitations of language. The seminar was attended by 58 delegates who came from the districts of South and North Kanaras and Shimoga. There were ten All problems including those of economic Bhagawaths, eight drummers and the rest conditions under which the artistes lived were dancers, most of them aged above 35 years. taken up. . Detailed questionnaire were printed One can say with confidence that the best and and circulated to all participating delegates the most experienced in the field participated about a fortnight in advance. Hence every­ in the seminar giving the best of what each one knew as to what was expected of pim could contribute. during the seminar. There were que~tl.ons pertaining to music, dance, costume, tratmng, Seminar's Objectives living conditions, etc.

The programme did not consist of any All delegates assembled in the Mahalingesh­ lectures but only of discussions and demons­ war Temple at Brahmavar on the after­ t~ations which centred round the main objec­ noon of September 27. Some persons who tives of the semmar, viz., (I) to preserve the were interested in the seminar also came. Be­ best in tradition of Yakshagana music, dance, sides the representative from the Sang:et drama and decor (2) to develop the same into an Natak Akademi, one from All India Radio. 2 Bangalore, also at.tended and covered the semi. nar. The proceedings began with a prayer at the nearby Ganesh Temple. The sessions to k place in the local Shiva Temple and were larg~­ Iy attended by local people.

Selt- Examination

To begin with, the organiser explained to ~he delegate~ the purpose of the seminar. It IS very ~ratlfymg to n<;>te that during the entire proceedings all professional rivalries, jealousies, e~c., were forgot.ten and the problems were dls.cussed, most dispassionately. Many of the points raised by the organiser were those that ne~ded self-evaluation on the part of each artiste. .The Bhagawaths, .the drummers and others did not mind questions like "Does this ~isl?lay joy?" "Does it display sorrow?" "Does It display pat.hos7", etc. Hence it was a question of self-~xammatlon on the part of each artiste to see III what manner his dance or music really was an interpretation of the theme that he was supposed to conveyor the emotion that he was supposed to express.

When problems relating to the economic and living conditions of the artistes question of training, qualifications of tutors 'etc. were taken up for discussion, the delegates' were g?od eno,ugh to s~ow a very dispassionate view of things and discussed the matters in an objective manner. The realisation that the artistes will rise or fall with the greatness or otherwise oftheir art was noticeable during all the discussions. Shri Sheshagiri Kini Since there were visitors from outside and hundreds of people as spectators, two public performances, i.e., one Tala Maddale and an­ Whenever anybody strayed away from the other open-air drama, were arranged on two Yak!hagana style of singing, he was promptly nights for their entertainment. reminded that the Yakshagana was neither Karnatak nor Hindustani music. This was The Discussions often felt necessary, for among the younger generation imitation of other schools had The work of the seminar was split up into crept in. The main purpose of the seminar morning and evening sessions of three hours' was to inculcate the idea that technique lives duration each. The matters taken up for dis­ for the sake of artistic expression. cussion during various sessions are briefly mentioned below : Mere Raga or Tala by themselves do not constitute art. The Bhagawaths are there to . 1. Two sessions were taken up in discus­ express the literary content of various songs. sing the topic of Yakshagana music in relation Each Rasa was taken up, one by one. Each to the theme and emotion conveyed in various Bhagawath gave one or two songs that demons­ s

conveyed the Shringara Bhava, viz., Did It pressions were demonstrated. The Bhagawaths show elation? Did it express love? Did it were asked to think in terms of emotion or express beauty? Did it express grace? Did mood primarily. it convey the sense of words? All such aspects that compose the element of Shringara depen­ Even a Rasa like Hasya giving great lati­ ding upon the character displaying the Bhava tudes to the comedian can lend itself equally were looked into. well in music. The idea of beauty in music would always lie in its being meaningful. Musical Modes With the realisation of this idea, the Bhagawath should always be able to discover whether the It should be realised that the musical modes tempo, Tala and Raga would or would not in the same Bhava would be different when suit a particular theme. These deliberations displayed by different characters. For were a real affront to many Bhagawaths as example, Shringara by Ravana would be normally they thought only in terms of Raga different from that of a Gandharva or Arjuna. and Tala. All Rasas will have to show all these details if they have to successfully communicate the During this session one could easily dis­ emotional content of a song. The individual cover that by discarding the traditional .song tan, gamak, pitch, volume, tempo, voice forms much was lost in expression. QUite a modulation and pronunciation, etc., count in number of songs were sung in any Raga that conveying the appropriate mood by a chosen the songster fancied and thought it would character in a particular Bhava. Numerous be pleasing, whereas when a song is composed, examples relating to emotions and musical ex- its words were linked intimately with the

4 Shri Haradi Rama Ganiga A veteran dancer whoparticipated in the Seminar

musical rhythm at the time of creation. A find over 150 Ragas mentioned. Of these, change-over of Raga resulted mostly in dis­ about 30 names of Ragas are neither to be turbing this pattern. When an old song was found in the present Karnatak music nor in sung in a new Raga and was found wanting, Hindustani music. An elaborate list of all an elderly Bhagawath was requested to show songs said to have been composed to such as to how he was taught to sing by gurus. rare Ragas like the dwijavanthee, panchagathee, Many a time when the older pattern, which mecchu, durdharee, etc., was made. adhered to the composer's intention, was sung, it proved more beautiful, i.e., more meaningful. They were chosen from prasangas that are still played and the participants were requested to sing such of them that they knew well. Search for Lost 'Ragas' This deliberation was assisted by a competent Hindustani musician, Shri K.V. Naik, 2. Two sessions were taken up by the and Karnatak musician, Shri Srinivasa Udupa. search for lost Ragas in Yakshagana. During Wherever the chosen songs showed the known the lith and 12th centuries, Yakshagana was pattern of any Raga of the southern or nor­ a developed form of court music. For reasons thern style of music, someone else was asked to unknown, other schools ousted its place as sing the song if he knew any other variations. court music. But the song pattern survived. Many of the listed Ragas could not be In later Yakshagana prasangas, i.e., drama, we discovered at all. But one is happy to note 5 that seven Ragas viz., navarasa, dhawa ara, Only a drone accompanies this singer. In for­ meehali, panehagathi, thujavanthi, ghantarava and mer days, they used to have the pungi which madhu madhavi came to light. The arohans has now been displaced by the harmonium and avarohans were noted, special sancharas sruthi. The seminar had invited Shri Gana­ were analysed and deviations from other pathi Giriyan, of Gokarn, a lone violinist who schools noted. Finally, a small feature was has cultivated Yakshagana music. H~ could recorded showing those seven Ragas sung by show that to the accompaniment of the violin the various musicians most successfully. this music would be richer.

It was felt that by a more patient and 4. During the present session, three types exhaustive research work, a richer repertoire of of maddale and one of chande, which normally Yakshagana music could be made. This work are used by our drummers, were displayed. needs immediate attention as it could be done Each one was asked to play one Tala separate­ only with the co-operation of the older gene­ ly so that its individual sound effect could be ration of Bhagawaths now living. It is also sensed. After this they were asked to accom­ felt necessary that the entire Yakshagana style pany songs pertaining to various Rasabhavas. needs analysis and standardisation so that And then they were made to realise that a future students may inherit the traditions in all drummer is not merely a keeper of time but its purity. also an accompanying artiste who has the duty of conveying a Bhava too. So, besides technical skill, he has to create an emotional 'Rasabbava' mood that a song or dance may require during the play. When a drummer can think only in 3. One session was taken up by the sub­ these terms, he can suitably accompany a ject, Rasabhava and instrumental music (pakka song. Rhythmic patterns of sound cannot be vndhya). Yakshagana is usually not accom­ uniformly the same for various Rasas. Sounds panied by an instrument like violin or sarangi. for joy, sorrow, heroism, etc., would all

A group ofdancers who took part in the Seminar

6 Another group ofdancers who participated in the Seminar

"Vary from one another. Even the display of One session, wnich was closed to onlookers the sound of cymbals by the Bhagawath will and open only to the dancers, was taken up bave to be related to the contents of songs. for the demonstration of Ragabhava and dance. Here, excepting two dancers the others stood There were at least two drummers who rather shy to display their own technique or could sense the importance of this angle of skill. The organiser, taking the audience into outlook. They were asked to follow carefully confidence, demonstrated how their dance the rhythmic patterns shown to them by the -conductor's hand and finger movements; ins­ consisting mainly of nritya could convey tances were pointed out to them. for example, emotions and meaning of the various themes a hero is moving to the battlefield-the move­ that they had to display. Here, rhythm was ment of the chariot wheels and the trot of the main element (that helps the dancer) as the horses were suggested to be visualised. apart from natya as is displayed by other The conductor's hand-moves showed as to how schools like Bharata Natyam or Kathakali. the chariot sped and finally halted in the Uptil now they Yakshagana dancer took shelter battlefield. Once the drummer understood under vachika or the spoken word. This would the import of the idea with the technical be sufficient so far as his own Kannada-speak­ "knowledge of which he is a master, he could ing world was concerned, but he has in him a easily convey this idea in his drum-work. Ex­ greater instrument, viz., dance and music which periments then and there were conducted could help him to communicate emotions in Whereof drums of various pitches could be .harmonised and add to the richness of the a style across the boundaries set up by Yakshagana orchestra. language. 7 A group of drummers

After all the deliberations concerning art willing to come forward as there is no eco­ and expressions were over, two sessions were nomic incentive to the profession. devoted to the topics concerning the economic conditions under which the artistes lived. The experiences of the elderly artistes were recoun­ After a four-day session, the delegates, one ted by the veterans. All details were taken and all, felt that they had not wasted their up, one after the other, as per the two elabo­ time and hoped that in the near future their rate questionnaire that had been circulated to art could find a place, a deserving place, in the them. Questions of patronage, recognition of cultural renaissance of India. merit, forms of training, qualifications of tutors, necessity for training, schools, refresher courses, etc., were taken up and discussed in Good Co-operation an objective manner.

In conclusion, it may be said that the house The organiser thanked all the participant~, felt that unless something was done imme­ volunteers, helpers and the host for t~elf diately to save the future of Yakshagana dance­ wonderful co-operation in making the semmar drama, the future was dark. The existence of a success. Special mention was made .of the Yakshagana troupes was becoming more and Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, and more risky and, moreover, respect for tradi­ A.I.R. for the interest shown by them towards tion was getting lost. Newer generation is un- the seminar.

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