Yakshagana Performance - Department of Kannada

The Department of Kannada organized a Yakshagana Performance on 20^th July 2012 at Main Auditorium at Christ University. The Students were trained in a fifteen days duration for Undergraduate/Postgraduate students. Sixteen Students were selected on the basis of dance  performance and voice test. The theme for the yakshagana was decided by the Director, Mr. Shankar Balkudru which was named as DAKSHA YAGNA taken from Indian Mythology (Shivapurana).

The Training Academy: YAKSHA SAMBHRAMA (Gana Vadana Nritya  Milana)

Sri Guru: Sri Shankara Balakudru

Maddale: Sri Narayana Hebbar 

Chande: Sri Jayaram Kanchan 

Vesha- Bhooshana (Costumes):  Sri Begar Shivakumar

Co-ordinator: Shivaprasad. Y.S

Character Introduction :

Sl. No	Name	Class	Character
1	Sandhya R	II BCom	Kubera
2	Sannidhi Surop	I  BA-PSEng	Vishnu
3	Pallavi Arun	II BCom	Agni
4	Ashwini K	III BA-EPS	Vaayu
5	Dony George	II BCom	Shiva
6	Gunashree M Naik	I BCom	Devendra
7	Kiran	II BA- HEP	Rushi
8	Rashmi B S	II B.Sc-CME	Naradha
9	Chandrashekar C	III B.Sc-CBZ	Veerabadhra
10	Amala Rani J	III BA- EPS	Niruthi
11	Jeshmi K B	III B.Sc-PCM	Yama
12	Nidhi S	I BCom	Dhakshayini
13	Shalini K B	III B.Sc-PCM	Charuhasini
14	Nandini S	III BCom	Varuna
15	Anantha Padmanabha	I MCom	Ithihasa Bhatta
16	Purnananda Bhaskar	Asst. Coordinator, SWO	Dhaksha

The Theme:

There was a king named Prajapati Dhaksha. Dhakshayini was the youngest daughter of Daksha. She was married to Lord Shiva. Once Prajapati Dhaksha went to a Jnana Sathra Yaga organized by all the Gods. All the Gods and Rishis stood up greeted with full respect once he entered except of Lord Shiva. He was annoyed with Lord Shiva’s gesture and wanted to insult Him very badly. He planned to make a big Yagna and invited all the Gods to take their part(Havis/Samit). He claimed that the whole world is invited to the Yagna but, he did not invite Lord Shiva.

Dhakshayini came to know about the Yagna that her father is organizing and she wanted to be a part of it and asked Shiva to accompany her. But Lord Shiva rejected to go, as he knew that Dhaksha purposefully did not invite them and told Dhakshayini not to go to the Yagna. But, the stubborn Dhakshayini insisted Shiva that she was his daughter and there was no necessity to invite her. She finally took the permission from Shiva and went to Yagna. No one in the Yagna spoke to her properly nor even did Dhaksha, showed love or affection towards her. Her sisters made fun of her and teased her. She was very much ashamed and then thought why her husband Lord Shiva told not to attend the Yagna. Dhaksha insulted her and Shiva infront of everyone.

However, on seeing the shameless insult to her husband in his absence, and the repeated slights King Dhaksha and his courtiers railed at Shiva, she immolated herself in the Yogagni in grief for her beloved husband. Shiva was stricken with grief when he heard the incident. He started the Rudhra Thandava(dancing in anger). From his anger Veerbhadhra was born and was ordered the Lord to destroy the Yajna and Dhaksha. The sacrifice was being held in the foothills of Himalayas, in a place Prachina Bahirgi. Veerabhadhra completely destroyed the sacrifice. His companions defeated all the Gods and the Sages, and flung their bodies into the water of the Ganga which flowed nearby. Veerabadhra sliced off Indra’s head and the arms of the fire-god Agni. Dhaksha’s head was also severed by Veerabhadhra.

All the Gods were thunderstruck at all this destruction and started to pray to Veerabhadhra and Shiva. Shiva was pacified and forgave the gods and the sages. Everything was restored to what it had been prior to Veerabhadhra beginning his process of destruction. The Yagna was completed and Lord Narayana comes out of the Yagna and proclaims that Lord Shiva and Narayana are one at the same. If Lord Shiva is insulted, it is equal to insulting Lord Narayana. Hence Dhaksha Prajapathi was taught the lesson.