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 named Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath the fourth-generation puppeteer persuaded this art form with a missionary zeal. Acute poverty and the lack of patronage forced Devanna to wind up his puppet theatre in 1941. In 1966, it was Smt Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay –the first Chairman serving of the All India Handicrafts Board who encouraged 75-year-old Devanna to revive the Yakshagana puppetry. He was also honoured by the President of India during Republic day celebrations in 1966.
He was extended support by Sri Srinivas Mallya, Sri K Sanjeeva Prabhu, Sri K.S Upadhyaya, and many others. Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath ended up being the only one to practice the art handed down by his ancestors.
After Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath his son Sri Kogga Kamath took over and trained many youngsters in this art form. It was Sri K.S. Upadhyaya from Mangalore, Karnataka State who popularized this art form by organizing regional, interstate and foreign tours. Under the able leadership of Sri K.S. Upadhyaya and his supportive wife Dr. Leela Upadhyaya Sru Kogga Kamath staged many shows and participated in National and International Festivals.
A very bright and colourful costume, unique style of puppets, rhythmic steps, traditional music, and dance style has kept this art alive for six generations. “Our family has the image of Sri Ganapathi which is more than 300 years now”-says Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
This Yakshagana Gombeyata, this stringed puppet play is now piloted by a sixth-generation puppeteer – the chief Sutradhara Sri Bhaskara Kogga Kamath, who quit his banking job to continue the family tradition. His father Kogga Kamath was an award-winning master puppeteer and in the last two decades, Sri Bhaskar has taken the art to new heights. Over the years, Sri Bhaskar Kogga Kamath continued to add innovations in techniques to help Yakshagana puppetry likable itself to the present audience.
The string puppet play of Karnataka -Yakshagana style of the coastal area is quite unique and interesting, both on account of its technique and content – the presentation is highly stylized since it has to adhere strictly to the norms and standards of Yakshagana Bayalata, one of the most remarkable among the numerous arts of Karnataka. All the ritualistic rigor of the Yakshagana ‘Human Theatre’ has to be observed in its original form and adept manipulators of the puppets seem capable of making the Yakshagana puppets leap to life. “At times it is difficult to tell whether what one is witnessing is a mere show of wooden puppets, inert and lifeless, or a serious performance by well-trained men and women, pouring forth in dance, song and dialogue the whole range of human emotions and passions”---Opines Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
These wooden puppets are about 18 inches high. Their costumes are exactly like those worn by the characters from Yakshagana Bayalata, with the same elaborate make-up, high and colourful headgear and heavy jewelry.
“The person who infuses life into the puppet and makes it come alive, by dexterous manipulation, is the puppet master, known as the ‘Suthradhara’. The content in the Yakshagana puppetry, as in every other ancient performing art, is drawn from the epics and the Bhagavatha Purana. There may have been possibilities for embracing secular themes, but the older tradition still persists”-Opines Sri Bhaskar Kamath
Uppinakudru Puppet Academy:
With the support of eminent personalities, Art lovers, and Philanthropists like Dr. Sudhamurthy, Chair Person Infosys Foundation, Bengaluru and another Dr. P. Dayananda Pai, eminent industrialist, Bengaluru, Sri Bhaskar Kogga Kamath was able to make his ancestor’s dream come true by establishing a well built huge “PUPPET ACADEMY BUILDING” with an estimated cost of Rs. One Crore has come up in our Uppinakudru, a small coastal village of Karnataka giving opportunities to exhibit not only puppetry programmes but also in different fields of literary and other art activities. This was inaugurated on 7th March 2015 and we are now in the 5th year of its inception. Every month they have one or other programme by the people in local or neighbouring areas, giving opportunities to expose their talents and we are happy to record that many of such programmes were overcrowded beyond our expectation. “We have already arranged 61 monthly programmes one each month so far which was possible by their overwhelming encouragement”—smilingly shares Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
'Walkthrough of Puppets’ in 25 different villages: November 5- December 19, 2021
A series of 25 plays is being planned under a special coastal tour, 'Walkthrough of a
State from November 5 to December 19, 2021. The tour is being organized to mark the silver jubilee year of Uppinakudru Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath Memorial Yakshagana Gombeyata Trust and the centenary year of Master puppeteer Kogga Devanna Kamath.
“Sri Devanna's son Kogga Devanna Kamath my father, was an enchanter artiste of high caliber, introduced many innovations (experimented with torch-bearing puppets like Hanuman setting Lanka on fire, depicting emotions on the puppets and so on) which drew worldwide acclaim. His troupe also participated in the fifth traditional arts festival at Rennes in France in 1978 with the help of K S Upadhyaya, a writer who organized tours in foreign countries for the troupe”--exclaims Sri Bhaskar.
Such tours are not new to Sri Bhaskar Kamath. In 2008 and 2017, Sri Bhaskar and his troupe staged shows in 26 districts across Karnataka and in 22 schools from Kumta to Kasargod (Kerala) respectively. “Unlike previous tours, this is a comeback tour. We were without work for two years and this is also an opportunity to popularize Yakshagana puppet theatre,” Says Bhaskar Kamath.
In the ongoing Walkthrough of puppets in one of the villages named Neelavar Village in Brahmavara Taluk, Udupi District, Karnataka, Silence pervades the hall as the tiny curtains are drawn aside and the Yakshagana stringed puppet play begins with the opening song — “Ganapathi Vandana”. As the play progresses of “Choodamani- Lankadahana”, the live music, and the deft movements of the puppeteers haze reality, making the lifeless Yakshagana puppets rise to life. The audience screams with delight as Hanuman takes flight with his tail on fire and burns down Lanka. The backstage buzzes with intense activity as Sri Bhaskar is not only manipulating the strings of each puppet which is operated by six strings and an additional string is added if the puppet is holding a sword but is also dancing with anklets on, to make the puppet dance authentic to the audience. “After bringing the audience under the puppet’s spell for nearly two hours, the play ends with a Mangalam just like that of a Yakshagana play”—replies Sri Bhaskar Kamath with a sigh of relief. Once the show is over, they also do puppet Demonstration in all Villages.,
The troupe, Sri Ganesha Yakshagana Gombeyata Mandali, Uppinakudru, includes 10 to 15 members. Some members tie anklets and act as puppeteers, while the remaining team up as him mela to provide live music. So far, Sri Bhaskar and his team have also staged shows in 25 foreign countries. The troupe, which used to perform 10 prasangas-plays, has now reduced it to three prasangas. The number of puppets has declined from 300 to about 75. "We have staged plays over a thousand times, but every show is a litmus test," Bhaskar says. So they make it a point to get the audience's feedback through a form.
At this puppet house, children are trained in puppetry art, shows are staged once a month and senior puppeteers are felicitated. Sri Bhaskar says that in the first few days of the coastal tour, he realized that society has not neglected Yakshagana puppetry, which still revolves around mythologies.
"The number of Yakshagana puppetry troupes declined from over 31 in 1988 to just a handful of puppetry troupes in 2021. As puppetry art is endangered, the government must set up a theme park dedicated to Yakshagana puppetry and set up a Puppetry authority to safeguard the traditional folk art," says Dr. S A Krishnaiah, the author of Karnataka Puppetry published in 1988.
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 named Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath the fourth-generation puppeteer persuaded this art form with a missionary zeal. Acute poverty and the lack of patronage forced Devanna to wind up his puppet theatre in 1941. In 1966, it was Smt Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay –the first Chairman serving of the All India Handicrafts Board who encouraged 75-year-old Devanna to revive the Yakshagana puppetry. He was also honoured by the President of India during Republic day celebrations in 1966.
He was extended support by Sri Srinivas Mallya, Sri K Sanjeeva Prabhu, Sri K.S Upadhyaya, and many others. Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath ended up being the only one to practice the art handed down by his ancestors.
After Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath his son Sri Kogga Kamath took over and trained many youngsters in this art form. It was Sri K.S. Upadhyaya from Mangalore, Karnataka State who popularized this art form by organizing regional, interstate and foreign tours. Under the able leadership of Sri K.S. Upadhyaya and his supportive wife Dr. Leela Upadhyaya Sru Kogga Kamath staged many shows and participated in National and International Festivals.
A very bright and colourful costume, unique style of puppets, rhythmic steps, traditional music, and dance style has kept this art alive for six generations. “Our family has the image of Sri Ganapathi which is more than 300 years now”-says Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
This Yakshagana Gombeyata, this stringed puppet play is now piloted by a sixth-generation puppeteer – the chief Sutradhara Sri Bhaskara Kogga Kamath, who quit his banking job to continue the family tradition. His father Kogga Kamath was an award-winning master puppeteer and in the last two decades, Sri Bhaskar has taken the art to new heights. Over the years, Sri Bhaskar Kogga Kamath continued to add innovations in techniques to help Yakshagana puppetry likable itself to the present audience.
The string puppet play of Karnataka -Yakshagana style of the coastal area is quite unique and interesting, both on account of its technique and content – the presentation is highly stylized since it has to adhere strictly to the norms and standards of Yakshagana Bayalata, one of the most remarkable among the numerous arts of Karnataka. All the ritualistic rigor of the Yakshagana ‘Human Theatre’ has to be observed in its original form and adept manipulators of the puppets seem capable of making the Yakshagana puppets leap to life. “At times it is difficult to tell whether what one is witnessing is a mere show of wooden puppets, inert and lifeless, or a serious performance by well-trained men and women, pouring forth in dance, song and dialogue the whole range of human emotions and passions”---Opines Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
These wooden puppets are about 18 inches high. Their costumes are exactly like those worn by the characters from Yakshagana Bayalata, with the same elaborate make-up, high and colourful headgear and heavy jewelry.
“The person who infuses life into the puppet and makes it come alive, by dexterous manipulation, is the puppet master, known as the ‘Suthradhara’. The content in the Yakshagana puppetry, as in every other ancient performing art, is drawn from the epics and the Bhagavatha Purana. There may have been possibilities for embracing secular themes, but the older tradition still persists”-Opines Sri Bhaskar Kamath
Uppinakudru Puppet Academy:
With the support of eminent personalities, Art lovers, and Philanthropists like Dr. Sudhamurthy, Chair Person Infosys Foundation, Bengaluru and another Dr. P. Dayananda Pai, eminent industrialist, Bengaluru, Sri Bhaskar Kogga Kamath was able to make his ancestor’s dream come true by establishing a well built huge “PUPPET ACADEMY BUILDING” with an estimated cost of Rs. One Crore has come up in our Uppinakudru, a small coastal village of Karnataka giving opportunities to exhibit not only puppetry programmes but also in different fields of literary and other art activities. This was inaugurated on 7th March 2015 and we are now in the 5th year of its inception. Every month they have one or other programme by the people in local or neighbouring areas, giving opportunities to expose their talents and we are happy to record that many of such programmes were overcrowded beyond our expectation. “We have already arranged 61 monthly programmes one each month so far which was possible by their overwhelming encouragement”—smilingly shares Sri Bhaskar Kamath.
'Walkthrough of Puppets’ in 25 different villages: November 5- December 19, 2021
A series of 25 plays is being planned under a special coastal tour, 'Walkthrough of a
State from November 5 to December 19, 2021. The tour is being organized to mark the silver jubilee year of Uppinakudru Sri Devanna Padmanabha Kamath Memorial Yakshagana Gombeyata Trust and the centenary year of Master puppeteer Kogga Devanna Kamath.
“Sri Devanna's son Kogga Devanna Kamath my father, was an enchanter artiste of high caliber, introduced many innovations (experimented with torch-bearing puppets like Hanuman setting Lanka on fire, depicting emotions on the puppets and so on) which drew worldwide acclaim. His troupe also participated in the fifth traditional arts festival at Rennes in France in 1978 with the help of K S Upadhyaya, a writer who organized tours in foreign countries for the troupe”--exclaims Sri Bhaskar.
Such tours are not new to Sri Bhaskar Kamath. In 2008 and 2017, Sri Bhaskar and his troupe staged shows in 26 districts across Karnataka and in 22 schools from Kumta to Kasargod (Kerala) respectively. “Unlike previous tours, this is a comeback tour. We were without work for two years and this is also an opportunity to popularize Yakshagana puppet theatre,” Says Bhaskar Kamath.
In the ongoing Walkthrough of puppets in one of the villages named Neelavar Village in Brahmavara Taluk, Udupi District, Karnataka, Silence pervades the hall as the tiny curtains are drawn aside and the Yakshagana stringed puppet play begins with the opening song — “Ganapathi Vandana”. As the play progresses of “Choodamani- Lankadahana”, the live music, and the deft movements of the puppeteers haze reality, making the lifeless Yakshagana puppets rise to life. The audience screams with delight as Hanuman takes flight with his tail on fire and burns down Lanka. The backstage buzzes with intense activity as Sri Bhaskar is not only manipulating the strings of each puppet which is operated by six strings and an additional string is added if the puppet is holding a sword but is also dancing with anklets on, to make the puppet dance authentic to the audience. “After bringing the audience under the puppet’s spell for nearly two hours, the play ends with a Mangalam just like that of a Yakshagana play”—replies Sri Bhaskar Kamath with a sigh of relief. Once the show is over, they also do puppet Demonstration in all Villages.,
The troupe, Sri Ganesha Yakshagana Gombeyata Mandali, Uppinakudru, includes 10 to 15 members. Some members tie anklets and act as puppeteers, while the remaining team up as him mela to provide live music. So far, Sri Bhaskar and his team have also staged shows in 25 foreign countries. The troupe, which used to perform 10 prasangas-plays, has now reduced it to three prasangas. The number of puppets has declined from 300 to about 75. "We have staged plays over a thousand times, but every show is a litmus test," Bhaskar says. So they make it a point to get the audience's feedback through a form.
At this puppet house, children are trained in puppetry art, shows are staged once a month and senior puppeteers are felicitated. Sri Bhaskar says that in the first few days of the coastal tour, he realized that society has not neglected Yakshagana puppetry, which still revolves around mythologies.
"The number of Yakshagana puppetry troupes declined from over 31 in 1988 to just a handful of puppetry troupes in 2021. As puppetry art is endangered, the government must set up a theme park dedicated to Yakshagana puppetry and set up a Puppetry authority to safeguard the traditional folk art," says Dr. S A Krishnaiah, the author of Karnataka Puppetry published in 1988.
Sources:
Sri Kogga Bhaskar
Kamath-Traditional Puppeteer & Photo credits to Bhaskar Kamath
http://yakshaganapuppets.org/bhaskar-kogga-kamath
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