MEMORIES-FELICITATIONS-YAKSHAGANA

Wednesday 30th March 2017
Chowdiah Memorial Hall, NammaBengaluru

In memory of late Karnuru Koragappa Rai, Yakashagana artist, organizer, his children have organizing program of felicitations, Yakshagana for last 8 years. This year it was in Chowdiah Memorial Hall, NammaBengaluru on Wednesday 29th March 2017,

Swamiji inaugurating 

Polya LakshmiNarayana Shetty filicitated

The program started at 2.30pm, with invocation in Yakshagana style and dignitories and award winners on the stage with Barkur Samsthana SriSri Santosh Bharathi Swamiji, Chief Guest. Swamiji in his speech explained beauifully about the beginning of the universe, protons, neutrons and electrons as energy centres as Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshwara and understanding of the present day scientific concepts were there in Purana and Bhagavatha of Sanathana Dharma. Today's Yakshagana epic "SriDevi Mahatmya" is about the Brahmanda and Super Energy symbol as SriDevi.

SHREE DEVI

Number of achievers, specially in the field of Yakshagana, were felicitated with shawl, citation and fruits. Chief among them were Polya Lakshminarayana Shetty (Vimana Bhagavataru), SriSri Santosh Guruji, Music Director Gurukiran and others.

All the speakers spoke highly of Karnuru Koragappa Rai, who passed away in 2008. He was artist, organizer and role model for young and upcoming artists. 

At 5pm, the Yakshagana Prasanga "SriDevi Mahatmya" started with Band, Baaja, Bajantri and Patla Satish Shetty, famous Bhagavataru with golden voice.

"SriDevai Mahatme" is Hindu religious text describing the Goddess as the Supreme power and creator of Universe. It is part of Markandeya Purana.

The story is the battle between good and evil, where Devi manefesting as Goddess Durga leads the forces of good against the demon Mahishashura. The Goddess is very angry and ruthless and forces of good win. 

Mahishasura, was born as buffalo due to a curse from a sage to Malini and King Vidyumana. He becomes a demon and attacks devaloka with Brahma and other Goddess. They take the complaint to all powerful Devi and she agrees to kill him and establish peace and harmony.

The noise (Band, Baaja and Bajantry), accompanying music, singing and and dance are all high energy stuff and every artist was performing with super enthusiasm and energy. It requires lot of dedication and interest to carry heavy costume, dance and deliver dialogues.

The comedy artists also did a comendable  job as they are conversant with role they have been playing for years.

written Thursday 30th March 2017

KITTEN'S RESCUE

20th March 2017
BirthiMane, NammaBengaluru

A kitten was mewing almost whole night, and we could hear it's mewing from the bedroom. Waiting for dawn, patiently tolerated the noise and in the morning, went up to see the kitten was helpless in the neighbor's widow cover on top.

Our team was ready and Rishi on a ladder, walked across to the place where the kitten was sitting with fear. it was grabbing Rishi's dress and with great difficulty he detached it from his shirt and put in a small bucket held by Nalini.

Our pet, Seena was all excited and tensed and he was all moving around to see the operation.

He was jealous too, may be lot of attention was  given.

At the end all were happy. The video recorded shows the event.

written Tuesday 28th march 2017

ALIYA DEVARU - KANNADA DRAMA

Saturday, 25th March 2017
SevaSadana, Malleshwara, NammaBengaluru.

The comedy Kannada play was performed by amateur group for entertainment and time-pass.

ALIYA means son-in-law and DEVARU means God. Traditional Indian custom, Aliya is treated as God in Father-in-Law's house.

An elderly gentleman has three daughters, married of to three guys, all of them stay in father-in-laws house. The youngest surviving daughter looks after cooking and households.

The eldest guy is fond of the drama and acting and spends his daydreaming of becoming big actor, practicing and spending time at home.
The second guy is supposed to be a doctor with no income and no patients.
Third guy is an insurance agent with hardly any income, as he is more like a joker and no one takes him seriously. The father-in-law has to look after these guys. A good friend of his comes to visit him and they plan to send these guys away from the house and eventually the plan fails and the guys back in the house harrasing the old man, is comedy.

As amateurs, they need more time to fine tune their performance. However, they did their best. Support team like stage setting, music, lighting requires lot of improvement.

written Sunday 26th March 2017 

SIRI DHANYA MELA

Saturday, 25th March 2017

Opposite Children's PlayGround, Malleshwara, NammaBengaluru.

PURCHASED PRODUCTS

Millet foods are called "SIRI DHANYA" , as they considered miracle foods.

ENTERTAINMENT

Millets are one of the oldest foods known to humans. They are drought resistant crops grown in dry land and known to be cultivated ten thousand years ago in Asia. Millets are a group of highly variable small seeded grasses. Widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains. It has a short growing season. They can develop from planted seeds to mature, ready to harvest plants in as little as 65 days.

Grains are classified as positive, neutral and negative. The millet range of grains constitute as positive and neutral grains. Among the positive millet grains, which have dietary fibre from 8% to 12.5 % are Foxtail (Navane), Barnyard (Oodalu), Araka (Kodo), Little (samai), and Brown top *Korale).

The neutral grains, having less fibre and other nutrients are Pearl (Sajje), Finger (Raagi), Proso (Baragu), Great Millet (White Jover) and Corn.

Millet has high content of nutrients, including impressive starch levels, very high B-vitamin content, as well as calcium, iron, poatassium, zinc, magnessium. noy yo mention of its being a healthy source of essential fats in the body. Furthermore, there are significant levels of protein and dietary fibre in millet as well, which contribute to health benefits of this important grain.

PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY

Farmers bring their produce from the villages and sell them in stalls, called MELA, (Santhe) marketed by Government Agricultural Department. Many people come to look for these products.

There is also a stage for entertainment and lectures.

written Sunday, 26th March 2017

LOKA SHAKUNTALA - KANNADA DRAMA

Wednesday, 22nd March 2017
RangaShankara, J P Nagara, NammaBengaluru.

The story of Shakuntala from MahaBharatha, is well known and is played on T V Serials, books and other media. The most famous dramatization is by Kalidasa's ABIJNA SHAKUNTALA,

KALAVIDARU - PRESENTATION

The same is played on stage by ANTHARANGA drama group on Wednesday at RangaShankara. So we finished the children's classes at home early and left for the venue, which took me an hour and half.

with Shyam and actor Anil Kulkarni

Shakuntala, living in Kanva's Ashram in the forest, met by King Dushyantha, falls in love and marries her in Gandharva Vivaha. Later he leaves for his Kingdom, Hastinavathi.

Shakuntala spends her time in day dreaming about King Dushyantha, and forgets to respect Sage |Durvasa. He gets angry and curses her that King will not remember her. He will remember about her only when she shows him the ring.

When Shakuntala reaches the Kingdom, Dushyantha rejects her as he did not remember her. Unfortunately, she also loses the ring. Later it was brought by a fisherman, who finds the ring in a fish he caught. When the King sees the rings, he recollects his marriage with Shakuntala, and the son, who has become a grown up boy.

The presentation of the story on stage is what makes the difference. It's like dance- drama, with lot of songs and dances, both yakshagana and classical style, the actors full of energy and enthusiasm, dialogues, movements and excellent acting by most of the actors.

Nalini with Geetha Manjappa, Usha Umesh

WITH Umesh Bharadhwaj, Manjappa

The two-hour non stop drama had continuity and meaning in their presentation, both story and action. The lighting, stage setting, singing and music were all excellent.
The play is directed by Chidambara Rao Jambe, created by K V Subbanna, Music by K. S Nagaraj,

written Friday 24th March 2017

YAKSHAGANA - KOUSALYA VIVAHA

Sunday 19th March 2017
Samsa Ranga Mandira, Behind Ravindra Kalakshetra, NammaBengaluru.

Yakshagana is a coastal, traditional theatre form combine with  dance, music, dialogues, costumes, make-up, stage techniques with a unique style.  Usually a story from Ramayana or Mahabharatha is taken (called Prasanga) and songs from the story is sung beautifully by "Bhagavataru", with accompanying music like mridanga, chande and taala. The characters in the story comes on stage with heavy costumes and dances on stage to the song and narrates the meaning in style, sometimes depending on the performer.

Traditionally, Yakshagana is played fron dusk to dawn in the open field, with oil lamps.

Nowadays, Yakshagana performed in the cities is shortened to 2-3 hours, to suit the needs and interests of urban people.

"Kousalya Vivaha" was the story (Prasanga) from Ramayana performed at Samsa Bayalu Mandira.

Kousalya was the eldest of King Dasharatha's wife and the queen of Ayodhya. Before the wedding, Dasharatha and Kousalya were placed in a box by King Ravaneshwara so that they should not get married. Sage BrahmaDeva releases them and they get married in the presence of the sage. King Ravana pacified by BrahmaDeva agrees not to kill them.

The presentation of the play was superb and the singing by Bhagavataru was excellent.

written Tuesday 21st March 2017

SEEMANTHA - D/O LAKSHMEESHA ADIGA

Monday 6th March 2017
VidyaPeeta, NammaBengaluru

It was occasion to celebrate the woman got pregnant and ready for delivery within a month, (SEEMANTHA) The woman was daughter of Lakshmeesha Adiga, a distant relation, brother of Sridhar Adiga, close family relation.

When the invitation was extended, we can not refuse, so we were there just in time for grand lunch. It was more of social gathering, exchange pleasantries and catching up with the events.

Prabhakar Kedilayas with all their children, Sudha, Vishwanath and Srinath and about 100 people were there for grand lunch (OOTA)

Back home after visiting Madhusudhan Talithaya at Banashankari.

written Saturday 18th March 2017

KEDILAYAS GET-TOGETHER

Monday 13th March 2017

Vatsala, Vishwanath, Prabhakar Kedilaya

Prabhakara Kedilaya, uncle's son had all his family members in Bengaluru and his wife Vatsala's Happy Birthday. They celebrated at Hotel Konark , Residency road, Bengaluru.

Asha, Nalini with Arushi

Kedilaya with Sudha & Sindhu

Sudha with Arushi

We are invited and so joined them in their celebration with lunch..

Tara with Arushii

Sudha, their daughter lives in NewYork, USA, was there on holidays, her daughter Meghna working here also was there. Vishwanath Kedilaya, Dentist working in Brunei, SrnathKedilaya and his wife Sindhu was there. Vatsala's brothers Purushothama, Sridhar and Parameshwara (Lakshmeesha) Adigas and their wives, Tara ans Asha with baby Arushi were there.

Cake cutting was there and lunch was ordered according to their choice and taste,

written Friday 17th March 2017

GRUHA PRAVESHA - PURUSHOTHAMA ANNAPOORNA

Sunday 12th March 2017

Purushothama is son of Late Ramakrishna Somayaji, member of extended family. His wife Annapooran, a classical singer invited us for his apartment warming ceremony. The place is No.118, Sai Sumukha Telecom Clusters, New Timber yard Layout, Near TeleCom Colony, Bengaluru 560026.

Previous day we went to attend the homa cermony and had to struggle a bit find the location,

Next day was the entering the house (Gruha Pravesha), Sri Satyanarayana Pooja and grand lunch, There were about 100 relations and friends,

Wishing him God's Blessings in his new living place.