Yakshadhruva Patla foundation to embark on 75-day yakshagana tour in the US

Mangaluru: A team of nine artists from the Yakshadhruva Patla Foundation Trust is set to embark on a 75-day Yakshagana Abhiyan tour in the United States starting on July 9.

Patla Satish Shetty, a key backing artist of the team, announced at a press conference held at the Mangalore Press Club on Monday that the trust’s recognition by the US government has facilitated this cultural exchange. The program will be organized under the guidance of Dr. Aravinda Upadhyaya, president of the USA unit of the trust, along with Dr. Sridhar Alva, Mahabala Shetty, and Uli Yogendra Bhatt. The team will perform a selection of mythological stories and hold short training camps and demonstrations at various locations.

The team includes prominent artists such as Padmanabha Upadhyaya, Chaitanya Krishna Padyana, Prof. ML Samaga, Harinarayan Bhat Edaneeru, Chandrasekhara Dharmasthala, Mahesh Maniyani, Prashant Nelyadi, and Mohana Bellipadi. The tour will be supported by Puttige Matha, members of the Kannada group, Yakshagana Sangh members, temples, and various organizations. Additionally, the team will participate in the ‘Akka’ conference, which is held in the US every two years.

The tour will cover performances in 20 cities across the US, including San Jose, Seattle, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Austin, Houston, Detroit, Janesville, Maryland, Tampa, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Raleigh, Edison, Columbus, Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New Jersey, and Richmond. This campaign aims to promote the art and culture of India abroad.

Patla Satish Shetty highlighted that last year, the Yakshadhruva Yaksha Shiksha team performed, trained, and demonstrated in Europe. The press conference was attended by the artists of the team, who expressed their enthusiasm for the upcoming tour.