Mangalore University has chosen Yakshagana exponent Amrith Someshwar and senior teacher and artiste Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna for this year’s annual Yakshamangala Award.
In addition, it has chosen “Himmela”, a book written by K.M.Raghava Nambiyar for its Yakshamangala book award starting from this year. The awards have been instituted by P. Dayananda Pai and P. Satish Pai at the Yakshagana Adhyayana Kendra at the university.
The director of the Kendra, K. Chinnappa Gowda said in a release that Yakshamangala award comprised of Rs. 25,000 in cash, a memento and a citation. The Yakshamangala book award included Rs. 10,000 in cash, a citation and a memento. The selection was made by a four-member committee headed by M.L. Samaga, former president, Karnataka Yakshagana and Bayalata Academy. Other members of the committee were experts on Yakshagana, M.Prabhakara Joshy, Padekal Vishnu Bhat and Mr. Gowda.
Amrith Someshwar
The release said that Mr. Someshwar is known for Yakshagana ‘prasangas’ (scripts) Kayakalpa, Tripura Mathana, Sahasra Kavacha Moksha, Mahashura Bhoumasura, Amaravahini, Mahakali Magadhendra, Andhaka Moksha and Chalukya Chakreshwara. In addition, his other two works on Yakshagana titled Yakshandola, Yakshataru and Avilu are well known.
The 80-year-old Mr. Someshwar is a researcher, novelist and playwright. Two research works (Ph.D.) have been written on the literature of Mr. Someshwar.
Bannanje Sanjeeva Suvarna
Mr. Suvarna, trained in Yakshagana by Jnanapith award winner Kota Shivarama Karanth, has been teaching Yakshagana in Yakshagana Kendra at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial College, Udupi since 25 years. He has taught Yakshagana in Germany, Japan and the United States.
He is a senior artiste who has been carrying forward the classic of Yakshagana in its true sense. He has directed many yakshagana ‘prasangas’ like Angulimala, Ramayana Mahanweshana, Chitrapata Ramayana, Abhimanyu, Panchavati and Bheeshama Vijaya.
Raghava Nambiyar
The “Himmela” written by Mr. Nambiyar is the abridged version of his Ph.D. work submitted to the university. The book threw light on the background music of Yakshagana comprehensively. Mr. Nambiyar has written many articles on Yakshagana.
The awards would be conferred to them at a function to be held at the university. The date is yet to be decided.
