Mangalore: Karnooru Koragappa Rai award for Yakshagana meritorious services for 2011 was conferred on well-known artiste Babu Kudthadka (for 2011) on Aug 17, Wednesday at Mangalore Town Hall in the presence of several celebrities and Yaksha art admirers.
Folklore expert Erya Laxminarayana Alva inaugurated the pleasant programme. Alva told his listeners that late K.K. Rai in whose name the award is presented was a humble artiste, living Yakshagana in essence all his life.
Despite, a bad health towards his ending years, he took keen interest in his art. Senior Yakshagana critic and litterateur, Dr. M. Prabhakar Joshi in a felicitation address for Babu, praised Rai’s ability to blend the two styles of Yaksha art, “Tenku” (Southern) and “Badagu” (Northern) styles of expression, attire and dance. He respected each artiste and structured the role suited to that player. Dr. Joshi lauded Babu’s services. Kumble Sunder Rao presided over the programme.
The current president of Karnataka Yakshagana Bayalata Academy, Rao stated that he was like a brother to Rai, a man of generosity. He praised Koragappa Rai’s son Mohan Rai also for keeping the memories of his father alive all these years.
A number of distinguished veteran artistes and folk art lovers like Devadas Kapikad, Mahabala Shetty Kudlu (Bahrain), Surendra Hegde (Mumbai), Bhaskar Rai Kukkuwalli and B. Ramesh Shetty (Kaup) among others attended the programme.
Tonse Puskal Kumar compered the programme. A cash award of Rs.15,000 from Tulu Koota (Dubai) to the Tulunadu Samithi artistes was given by Daya Kirodian.
A Yakshagana show on “Draupadi Vastrapa-harnam” (Outrage of Draupadi in Kaurava Court) was performed by various ‘Mela’ (group) artistes, to enthrall a packed house at Town Hall. Babu Kudthadka who had built his own Mela for 32 years replied to the felicitations suitably.