Mangaluru : Alva’s Education Foundation has come forward to introduce an undergraduate course in Yakshagana provided Mangalore University prepared the syllabus and approved the regulations governing the course.

Addressing a gathering at a function organised by Mangalore University to present its Yakshamangala Award and Yakshamangala Kruti Award at the university here on Monday, M. Mohan Alva, chairman of the foundation, urged the university to take a leap to enable colleges to offer the undergraduate course in arts stream.

Mr. Alva said that now some colleges offered undergraduate course in visual arts and Bharatanatyam. Similarly, a bachelor’s degree in Yakshagana could be offered. “I will be the first to introduce it if the university gives permission,” Mr. Alva said. He said that if not an undergraduate course, a diploma course in Yakshagana could be offered.

P. Dayananda Pai and P. Satish Pai Yakshagana Adhyayana Kendra at the university had instituted the award. Yakshamangala Award for 2016 was presented to Balipa Narayana Bhagawatha of Tenku Thittu school, Airodi Govindappa, a well-known Veshadhari of the Badagu Thittu school, M. Prabhakar Joshi, Talamaddale Arthadari, writer and critic, and Gopalakrishna Kurup, Yakshagana teacher, writer and an expert on Himmela. The Yakshamangala Kruti Award was presented to writer Kabbinale Vasantha Bharadwaj.

Speaking on behalf of the artistes, Mr. Joshi said that initially the university might allow colleges to introduce a diploma course in Yakshagana.

Expressing concern over “mutilation” of Yakshagana, Mr. Joshi, who was formerly a principal, suggested that the kendra conduct “chintana shibiras” at given intervals to prevent further mutilation. “Deviation is required in Yakshagana but not mutilation,” he said.

Mr. Joshi said that the “shibiras” involving all stakeholders of Yakshagana should play critical, advisory and co-ordinating roles.

Referring to the glorifications in Yakshagana, Mr. Joshi said that a balance would have to be maintained in Himmela and Mummela of Yakshagana covering Bhagavathike, Natya, delivery of dialogue, Vesha and other traditions. “Yakshagana is facing a serious problem from within,” Mr. Joshi said.

Recalling the services of those artistes who received the award, K. Chinnappa Gowda, a professor of Kannada at the university, said that each one of them would have presented at least 10,000 shows in their 40-year career in Yakshagana. Students of the university staged Yakshagana Panchajanya.