Mangalore : K Govind Bhat senior artiste inaugurated the Seventh Akhila Bharata Yakshagana Sahitya Sammelana began in the town hall on January 27, Friday.

The event is being jointly organized by the Kalkura Prathishthana and Karnataka Samskritika Kala Prathishthana, it present discourses on Yakshagana till January 29, Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Speaker of the legislative assembly N Yogish Bhat said that the Yakshagana artiste require life security and health security.

He also said that earlier the government used to give Rs 7 lakhs to the Yakshagana Academy, but now the present Karnataka government has provided Rs 40 lakh to the Academy to encourage the art form.

He also released the book Kubanoor Smrithi authored by K J Eshwar Bhat in commemoration of Kubanoor Balakrishna Rao, published by Kalkura Prathistana.

Gurudevananda Swamiji of Odiyoor math in his benedictory speech said that because of these kind of programme, the art like Yakshagana will be preserved. The art like yakshagana has various qualities like music, dialogues, explanation is included.

‘Kubanoor Smriti’, a book containing memoirs of Yakshagana artiste advocate Kubanoor Balakrishna, authored by Kaje Eshwar Bhat, was released.

K Govind Bhat senior artiste presided over the three-day convention.

Shri Keshavananda Bharati Swamiji of Edaneer Mutt , S M Panjaje, president of Karnataka Samskritika Kala Prathishthana , zilla panchayat president K T Shailaja Bhat, president of Yakshagana Bayalata Academy Prof M L Samaga and Dr M Prabhakar Joshi were among the present.