Yakshagana commemorative postage stamp to be released on Feb 25

Mangaluru: In a bid to give recognition for the Yakshagana, a traditional theatre of coastal Karnataka, the Department of Posts in association with Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) will launch a commemorative postage stamp on the theme of Yakshagana, at a programme to be held at Town Hall in Mangaluru on February 25 at 10 am.

Yakshadhruva Yaksha Shikshana Yojane office-bearer Sarapadi Ashok Shetty said that DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel will preside over the programme and Chief Post Master General Karnataka Circle S Rajendra Kumar will release the stamp.

“With the efforts of DK MP Kateel, the Department of Posts has agreed to bring out the stamp on theme Yakshagana. The stamp has a face value of Rs 5 and has covered both Thenkutittu and Badaguthittu form of Yakshagana in it,” he said.

Already, department of posts had brought out stamps on Bharathnatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Koochipudi and this is the first time that a stamp on the theme of Yakshagana is being brought out by the department. Recently, the department had brought out a commemorative stamp on Veera Rani Abbakka Devi who had fought against the Portuguese.

Sarapadi Ashok Shetty said that after the release of postage stamp, well known Thenkuthittu Yakshagana artistes under the leadership of Yakshadhruva Patla Foundation Trust Founder President Patla Sathish Shetty will present Yakshagana titled “Lokabhirama,” written by Bottikere Purushotham Poonja.

Shetty said “both the centre and state governments should work towards providing security to the Yakshagana artistes. The government should also implement maintenance allowance for the artistes. There are around 2500 professional Yakshagana artistes in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Overall, there may be nearly 10,000 Yakshagana artistes in DK, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kasargod.”

The state government has even failed to appoint a president for Karnataka Yakshagana Academy. The academy has remained headless for the last several months which too has been affecting the activities of  the academy, he said.

The release programme will be attended by MLA D Vedavyasa Kamath, Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur, Yakshagana exponent Dr M Prabhakar Joshi, South Karnataka zone Post Master General L K Dash, Mundkur Shyamprasad Kamath, Executive Director of MRPL.