Plans afoot for global Yakshagana Sammelana: Minister

The Karnataka government is planning to hold a ‘Vishwa Yakshagana Sammelana’ and discussions on the proposal are in the initial stages, Minister for Kannada and Culture V Sunil Kumar has said.

Yakshagana is a traditional folk dance form popular in coastal Karnataka. It is an elaborate dance-drama performance that combines dance, music, song, scholarly dialogues and colourful costumes. Hence, the name Yaksha (celestial) Gana (music).

Addressing the valedictory of the first state-level Yakshagana Sammelana in Udupi on Sunday night, he said a data bank of Yakshagana artistes will be created by the culture department.

The data bank will collect information on different schools of Yakshagana and its artistes, he said.

Kumar added that the government had allocated Rs 2 crore for the state-level Yakshagana Sammelana this year.

The two-day programme resolved to make the state-level Yakshagana meet an annual event. The Sammelana next year will be held in Dakshina Kannada district.

In a resolution, the meet also demanded that a national School of Yakshagana be set up on the lines of National School of Drama (NSD). The government was also urged to increase the monthly pension of Yakshagana artistes to Rs 5,000.

The Sammelana also wanted the government to give due recognition to Kasaragod district in Kerala while nominating members to different cultural academies and announcing prizes, as the district had cultural attachment with Karnataka.