.JPG "12 from twin districts selected for State-level Rajyotsava award")
Well-known Yakshagana Bhagawata Subrahmanya Dhareshwar and art critic and Yakshagana Artadhaari Prabhakar Joshi are among the 12 from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts who have been selected for the State-level Rajyotsava award.
The multifaceted 76-year-old Prabhakar Joshi is a much sought-after Arthadhaari in Yakshagana Talamaddale.
Also a well-known crictic, Mr. Joshi has been a votary of retaining traditional form of Yakshagana. A multilingual personality, Mr. Joshi has good command over Kannada, Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi, Tulu and Konkani. Born in Mala in Karkala taluk of Udupi district in 1946, Mr. Joshi has a Masters degree in Commerce and a doctorate in Yakshagana. Mr. Joshi was the principal of Besant College in Mangaluru.
‘I feel powerful in the Yakshagana costume’
Actor Ramesh Aravind’s dream of wearing a Yakshagana costume was realised during a photo shoot in Kudru Nest resort in Udupi for photographer Raghu
| Video Credit: Anil Kumar Sastry
Subrahmanya Dhareshwar has been in the field of Yakshagana for over five decades. Mr. Dhareshwar is known for bringing in nuances of Sugam Sangeet and Classical music in rendition of songs in Yakashanga prasangas. Mr. Dhareshwar has been a Bhagawata in Yakshaganas on all popular Badagutittu Yakshagana prasangas. A native of Gokarna, Mr. Dhareshwar now resides in Kirimanjeshwara of Byndoor taluk of Udupi.
A 70-year-old Yakshagana artist Mandarti Annappa Naika, a popular Stri Veshadhaari, has also been selected for the award. Mr. Naika is known for his roles as Sita, Damayanti, Draupadi and Subhadra in different Pouranika Yakshaganas. He served in Kota Amruteshwari Yakshagana Mela for 18 years, apart from the two years in a mela in Sirsi. He served in Idagunji Mela and a mela in Mulky respectively for one year each. He served in the Mandarti Mela for 19 years before he retired.
A 61-year-old Yakshagana artist Ashok Shetty of Bantwal, who has been in Yakshagana for more than four decades, is the other Yakshagana artist selected for the award.
Among others selected for the award are Daiva Nartaka Gudda Panara from Muluru in Kaup taluk of Udupi. Mr. Panara, who has no formal education, has been involved in Daivradhana for 48 years and as a Pilikola Daiva Nartaka for 38 years.
Executive Director of Sri Kshetra Dharmastala Rural Development Project L.H. Manjunath, though is recognised as belonging to Shivamogga district, has been with the SKDRDP since 2001 and is credited with extending the project throughout Karnataka.
Bharatnatyam teacher P. Kamalaksha Achar from Belthangady, Carnatic music teacher Vidwan M. Narayan from Mangaluru, hoteliers Sambar Sultan Jayaram Banan from Karkala and Maranakatte Krishnamurthy Manja, industrialist Ravi Shetty Moodambail and entrepreneur Raj Kumar have also been selected for the award.
