Daijiworld Media Network - Beltangady (SN/CN)

Beltangady, Dec 8: The closing ceremony of the ‘Yakshagana Saptaha’ was held at Sri Sharada Mantap in Ujire on Sunday December 7.  It was also the ‘Dashamanotsav’ of the Kuriya Vittala Shastri Yakshagana Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion, Dharmadikari Dr D Veerendra Heggade, Dharmastala, said that some artistes are not honoured in their life time, and are just remembered after death. But, Kuriya Vittala Shastri is a public figure and immortal in his art.

On behalf of Parti Subbanna, the Yakshagana Academy will sponsor awards and cash prizes for the artistes. The first of these programmes will be held at Dharmastala. Every year, 10 Yakshagana artistes will receive Rs 10, 000 each said Kumble Sundar Rao, president, Yakshagana Academy, who was the chief guest.

Surikumeru Govinda Bhat, Rajyaprashasti award winner, was honoured with the Kuriya Vittala Shastri award for the academic year.

On the occasion of Dashamanotstava, Rajyaprashasti winners Kumble Sundar Rao and Patala Venkataramana Bhat, artistes like Padyana Shankar Narayan Bhat, Shivaram Jogi B C Road, Sampaje Shinappa Rai, Puttur Shridhar Bhandary, and M K Ramesh Acharya, were also felicitated.

Apart from them, Dr Heggade was also felicitated on completing his 60th birthday.

Panduranga Baliga, president, Dashamanotstava committee, welcomed the gathering. Ujire Ashok Bhat, convener, co-ordinated the programme while Shrutakeerti Raj proposed the vote of thanks.

Vijayaraghava Patnayak, managing trustee, Janardhana Swami Temple, Ujire, and Kuriya Venkataramana Shastri, convener, KVS High School, Kurudapadav, were present.