Indian Puppetry: Yakshagana Puppets from Uppinakudru, Karnataka
From time immemorial, there is evidence of the existence of Sting Puppetry in Dakshina Kannada District in Karnataka State. According to folk art experts, the origin of Yakshagana puppetry has not been established. Though it remained with a few families, Yakshagana puppetry has survived for over three centuries, due to the Uppinakudru Kamath family's commitment to the art. In the 17th century, Krishna Babu Kamath and his son Lakshmana Bhagavatha launched the Yakshagana puppet theatre and traveled from place to place staging shows at fairs, temple festivals, and so on. The ancient folk art of “Yakshagana Gombeyatta”- known as Yakshagana Puppetry of coastal Karnataka was founded by three brothers named Sri Laxman. Sri Narasimha and Sri Manjappa Kamath, three centuries ago at Uppinakudru a small village in Kundapura Taluk, Udupi district of Karnataka State, India. It was Lakshmana who founded the Ganesha Yakshagana Gombeyata troupe. The grandson of Sri Laxman Kamath name