Deekshith D V

Daijiworld Media Network– Mangaluru 

Mangaluru, Jun 24: Art has no barriers, boundaries or limits. Yakshagana, a folk theatre art which is mainly found in the coastal districts is also not restricted to one community or religion. The participation of artistes from Muslim community over the years has proved that Yakshagana has no religious barriers either.

Several artistes born in Muslim families have shown keen interest towards Yakshagana and have been excelling in this art.

Mohammed Ghouse, a resident of Kavradi near Nellikatte in Kundapur is one such name in Yakshagana art for the past five decades. Though he had initial hiccups from his own community and others, he did not give up his interest and decided to pursue Yakshagana.

To keep him away from Yakshagana, his parents sent him to Saudi Arabia for a job. He worked for seven years in Saudi but he could not control his passion and zeal for Yakshagana and returned to pursue his passion.

Jabbar Samo

Mohammed Ashfaq

As a Yakshagana artiste, Ghouse faced many hurdles to get his sisters married. Even his relatives refused to mingle with him and many of them refused to marry his sisters, he recalls.

However, he did not give up his profession, “Call it providence or Allah's will, all my sisters were honourably married into good families,” he says.

Ghouse belongs to Madamakki Veerabhadreshwara Yakshagana troupe. He has his own Yakshagana troupe called ‘Yaksha Saurabha Pravasi Mela’. He performs both in Thenku and Badagu Thittu Yakshagana. He has performed in lead roles as Veeramani in ‘Veeramani Kalaga’, Bhasmasura in ‘Bhasmasura-Mohini’, Jayantha in ‘Vidyunmathi Kalyana’, Arjuna in ‘Krishna Garudi’ among others.

He fondly remembers his performance with Yakshagana stalwarts like Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, Lakshminarayana Samaga, Govinda Bhat, Siddakatte Chennappa Shetty among others.

Speaking about conflict over religion and caste, he says, “Caste and religion is man-made. As I have the blessings of Allah and Hindu gods and goddesses, I was able to perform in Yakshagana. I will be in Yakshagana till my last breath.”

Jabbar Samo is another famous name in Yakshagana. He is a Yakshagana artiste from four decades.

He hails from Sampaje in Sullia taluk. Son of Sampaje Mohammed, he was born in a village called Sampaje in Sullia taluk in 1963. When Jabbar was studying at Kallugundi primary school at Sampaje, many Yakshagana programmes were being staged in the surroundings of Kallugundi, Sampaje which inspired Jabbar to become Yakshagana artiste.

Jabbar recalls the appreciation of Yakshagana great performers like Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat, Malpe Ramadasa Samaga, Kumble Sundar Rao, Siddakatte Chennappa Shetty among others to his extraordinary talent of debate in Yakshagana.

Another Muslim artiste in Yakshagana is Mohammed Ashfaq Hussain who was trained in Yakshagana in Alva's College Moodbidri. Hussain who is 22 year old had scored 90 percent marks in SSLC examination and joined Alva's college Moodbidri as he learnt that college has been giving more importance to study Yakshagana.

He performs female role in Yakshagana. He even won award for best female role in the inter-collegiate competitions. He has performed as Laksmi in ‘Sudarshana Vijaya’, Malini in ‘Devi Mahathme’ among others. Ashfaq has been trained both in Thenku and Badagu Thittu Yakshagana dance.

“There is no barrier of religion in any art form including Yakshagana. One should not stay away from any art considering their caste, community or religion,” he says.