It feels like -- a clear water spring that was flowing from times immemorial has suddenly dried up; an ancient glow lamp has suddenly had a blow out, a priceless gem that was in hand has gone missing. It seems like the legendary Nebbur Narayana Bhagavataru (Nebburu) has been washed away by a flood, and has been washed far, far away from us. It feels like he was singing, and even as he was singing, he gave up this world and went heavenward.
Nebburu came to Keremane as a little boy, and was trained by my grandfather, the great Shivarama Hegde. He turned out to be gold class, and became a cherished artiste in the Keremane Yakshagana Mela. To us children, he was always “Ghatta Maava”, an uncle who came from up the ghats.
Ghatta Maava came into our home when he was 16 to learn Bhagavatike. He spent a significant part of his life in the Keremane home, and in those years our home was a vibrant centre of Yakshagana with scholars and artistes constantly streaming in to have discussions on many issues concerning the form and its aesthetics. It was during this glorious time that Nebburu came and remained a family member till his very end. To me, he was the endearing Ghatta Maava, much more than the legendary Yakshagana Bhagavataru that he was.
My grandfather was a task master. He had enormous control over the medium and was perfect in his understanding of the ragas, the rhythm, the grace and movement it should evoke in the performer. He was a man of fiery temper, coarse and difficult. Nebburu was not spared either; he gave him several difficult moments on stage as well, but he never considered it disparaging. For Nebburu, Shivarama Hegde was his guru, and anything that he said or did was to mould him. It is this unflinching devotion and commitment that made him a musician par excellence. In fact, Nebburu through his devotion and commitment rose to become one of the top names in the field, and he began to be considered as a model.
Nebbur’s journey has been long, and in that journey, the role of my uncle Mahabala Hegde is also important. He was a mentor and guide to Nebburu, alongside another senior Bhagavata of those times, Uppuru.
My father Shambhu Hegde and Nebburu were close knit, they were childhood friends and there was nothing they didn’t know about each other. Nebburu was two years older to my father, and their relationship was pristine. Nebburu’s association with the family, and his phenomenal talent made him the permanent Bhagavataru of the Idagunji Mela. Just the way Mavinakere Yaji Bhagavataru remained an inspiration and a close associate of my grandfather, Shivarama Hegde, Nebburu was to my father, Shambhu Hegde. It was a relationship in which homes, hearts, dreams, and skills converged; in today’s times the extent of their friendship is impossible to even imagine. Nebburu’s simplicity, poise, equanimity, innocence... was also the reason for the kind of friendship he had with my father. He was a musician alright, but he was also the loving person who carried us around, mollycoddled us, pinched our ears in affection. In a way, the entire family danced to his tunes – on stage my grandfather, uncle and father, and us, to his warmth. In fact, he has sung for me and my son, Shridhara too. What can this be, but the design of God! In the history of Yakshagana there is no other Bhagavataru who has sung for four generations of a family.
Nebburu’s singing provided a special experience. It gave the listener the impression that it was purely suited for Yakshagana – born out of experience and practise. He could capture the nuances of the Yakshagana tradition, in all its clarity. Especially in songs that evoked Karuna rasa, none could match him. Hence, the Prasangas our Mandali presented, like Shri Rama Niryana, Nala Damayanti, Sita Viyoga etc were a huge impact on the audience. He could evoke rich and varied emotions, and my father was of the opinion that one could never get bored with his singing. During the course of their years at the Mela, my father Shambhu Hegde and Nebburu became an inseparable artistic unit. Their friendship gave a special glow to their artistic relationship as well.
Nebburu became a household name. He mesmerised his listeners: my father’s direction and performance, and Nebburu’s singing – it was perfect alchemy. Nebburu was the model example of style, voice throw, expression and commitment: he represented the grand tradition of Yakashagana itself.
The ups and downs of professional theatre did not spare Nebburu either; however, he was a man of such fine character that not even once was he swayed by his popularity and even in difficult days, he did not encash on his fame and recognition. It is nothing short of a miracle that for 50 long years he stayed on with one single Mela. His love and allegiance towards the Mela made him reject every other desire, and opportunity that came his way.
Nebburu’s life was simple. He lived in very poor conditions but never lost his equilibrium. He was a man of gentle humour, his warm demeanour made him a very affable personality to everyone. Nebburu’s natural wit and conversational ability brought people to him. Not once did the difficulties of his life interfere with his artistic life, he was always joyous and spirited on stage. Even at 82, with six to seven decades of singing, his voice had not aged. It remained melodious and charming.
Audience applause, popularity, fame, recognition, and money were hardly things that affected him. He is a rare example indeed. Under his mentorship, the BHASAM workshop on Bhagavatike that we conducted, remains a milestone in Yakshagana education.
Nebburu Narayana Bhagavataru is not with us anymore. What he has left behind is hard to replicate. It is not something that can be achieved through imitation. In this time and age, when Yakashagana is losing its natural flavour, the demise of Nebburu makes me anxious. Nevertheless, my mind is rich with memories: “I have seen the joys and sorrows of life”, says Rama in Rama Niryana , and to this emotionally charged scene, Nebburu’s music was like a creeper that clings to the tree -- the acting and music were inseparable. That voice which sang for Bheeshma, Krishna, Harischandra... is no more. That voice which filled the nights with melodious music carrying lakhs of people to the golden moments of dawn is no more. He has moved to another world, forever.
I bid a tearful farewell to Ghatta Maava. The Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali folds its hands in respect.
The author is a Yakshagana artiste, and heads the Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali
Translated by Deepa Ganesh
