Uppinakudru Yakshagana Puppetry selected for Sri Vishweshatheertha award

Udupi: The Uppinakudru Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath memorial Yakshagana Puppetry trust has been selected for the prestigious Udupi Yakshagana Kalaranga’s Sri Vishweshatheertha award

The ancient folk art of “Yakshagana Gombeyatta”- known as Yakshagana Puppetry was founded by three brothers Laxman, Narasimha and Manjappa Kamath, three centuries ago at Uppinakudru, a small village of Kundapura Taluk.

Devanna Padmanabha Kamath, the grand son of Laxman Kamath, persuade this profession with missionary zeal and with the able assistance and patronage of Smt. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Sri Srinivasa Mallya, Sri K. Sanjeeva Prabhu, Sri K. S. Upadhyaya, Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath got National recognition by winning National Award in 1966.

Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath breathed his last in 1971 at the ripe age of 80 years, and his son Guru Sri Kogga Kamath took over and trained many youngsters in this art. Sri K. S. Upadhyaya of Mangalore popularized this art and gave this folk art an international reputation by organizing foreign tours beginning from the year 1978.

Since then the troupe had chances of exhibiting this unique folk art to foreign audiences many times. Under the able leadership of Sri K. S. Upadhyaya and his wife Dr. Leela Upadhyaya Sri Kogga Kamath staged many shows in the country and abroad and participated in many National and International Festivals.

Sri Kogga Devanna Kamath also won National Award in 1980, State Award in 1986 and Tulsi Sanman in 1995. Prof. Ku. Shi. Haridas Bhatt was also patronised this rare folk art. Colourful costumes Rhythmic Steps Traditional Music & Dance Kept Alive Through Six Generation. The Family has a image of ganapathi which is more than 300 years old.

String puppets have a special place in the puppet theatre. Daksina Kannada District in Karnataka state is the home of the string puppet theatre. There is evidence to believe that there.

(With yakshaganapuppets.org inputs)