Mysuru: Natyashree Kalatanda of Shivamogga staged Yakshagana on Saint Kanakadasa at Bhoomigeetha auditorium at Rangayana yesterday. The programme was organised by Saint Poet Kanakadasa and Tatvapadakarara Adyayana Kendra, Bengaluru in association with Rangayana, Mysuru.

Speaking on the occasion, Rangayana Director Satish Tiptur said Rangayana apart from staging modern experimental plays was also encouraging artistes to stage other forms of fine arts to explore their wisdom.

“Rangayana has been encouraging other arts forms such as Bayalata, Moodalapaya Yakshagana, Manteswamy Mahakavya among others,” he said.

Saint Poet Kanakadasa and Tatvapadakarara Adyayana Kendra Chairman K.T. Chikkanna, who spoke on the occasion, said that Kendra was organising programme to create awareness about saints like Kanakadasa, Haridasa and others among the students, youth, general public and researchers.

“As part of the awareness programme, Yakshagana is being staged to bring Saint Kanakadasa much closer to the general public. Kendra has already staged programme on Kanakadasa in the form of bombeyaata and taala madhale.

Books similar to panchatantra have been published for the easy understanding of the children,” he added.

The 90-minute Yakshagana was staged by a troupe of 12 artistes who introduced Saint Kanakadasa’s life, achievements, devotion and social reforming to the audience. Similar programmes will be held at other parts of the State in the future.

Chikkanna also mentioned that Kendra’s library located at Kalagrama in Mallathahalli in Bengaluru had a collection of tatva sahitya, bhakti sahitya, works of Kanakadasa and Haridasas.  The public can contribute to the collection by donating literatures and artifacts related to Haridasas and Kanakadasa.