From Karnataka to Brussels: Yakshagana dazzles Europe

Mangaluru: Yakshadhruva Patla foundation is ensuring that the vibrant tradition of Yakshagana thrives over 7,000 kilometres away from the coastal district of Karnataka, in Europe. The passionate community in Germany is dedicated to introducing the rich, multifaceted art form of Yakshagana to the new generation in Europe, as well as the wider international audience base.
Yakshagana artiste and secretary of the foundation's Europe unit, Ajeeth Prabhu, said that, in a performance at Zaventem, Brussels on April 6, the Belgium Kala Vedike hosted a two-hour Yakshagana show based on Krishna Leela and Kamsa Vadha. The event marked the first-ever Yakshagana production in Belgium with a 15 artistes, including eight children between the ages of four and 13. The artistes themselves, managed elaborate costumes and traditional makeup, which took over three hours to complete.
The performance opened with a traditional Chowki Puja, setting the stage for a captivating presentation. Pradyumna Ajeeth Prabhu performed the introductory Bala Gopala dance, followed by the main act with performances by Manas Periyapatna, Samvid Shyam, Sharva Parashar, Aadishesh Bairy Aravinda, Snigdha Chouhan, Arnav Achar, and Atharva Rao. Samarth Ram made a special appearance as Baby Krishna.
Senior artistes Ajeeth Prabhu Tallur, Srihari Devji, Shridhar Achar, Kishore Matagodu, Sridevi Hosur, Karthik Parashar, and Aravinda Subramanya brought depth and energy to the ensemble. Women worked tirelessly to manage costumes and makeup.
Under the guidance of Ajeeth Prabhu, the foundation conducts regular online Yakshagana classes every Monday, supplemented with in-person workshops every two months. Costume and makeup training is also integral to the curriculum. Every year, the team tries to take Yakshagana to a new country in Europe, and they performed at Belgium.
So far, artistes from the foundation have performed at Munich, Luxembourg, Stuttgart, Switzerland, and Belgium, offering NRIs a taste of India's rich cultural heritage. With the foundation's efforts, Yakshagana has not only found a foothold in Europe, but is also poised for a promising future, explained Ajeeth.