Kndapura

Kundapura Paradise.com

Yakshgana ,the art of dakshina kannada..

Yakshagana is a theater form that combines, dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up and stage techniques with a unique style and form. This theater style is mainly played in the coastal districts and Malenadu regions of Karnataka,  and traditionally played for whole night, till sunrise next morning.

Yakshagana is the recent (200 years) scholastic name for what are known as , It is believed to have evolved from pre-classical music and theatre during the Bhakti movement. It has drawn comparisons to the Western tradition of opera. Actors wear costumes and enact various roles. Traditionally, Yakshagana would go on all night. It is sometimes simply called as ಆಟ"play" in both Kannada and Tulu. Yaksha-gana literally means the song (gana) of ayaksha...

Yakshagana consists of a himmela "background music group" and a mummela "dance and dialog group", which together perform yakshagana poetry. Himmela consist of a bhagawata"singer" who is also the director (also called the first actor, modalane vesha), ,harmonium for drone  and chande (loud drums). The music is based on carnatic ragas characterised by melodic patterns called Mattu and yakshagana tala. Yakshagana Talas are believed to be based on patterns which later evolved into Carnatic talas.

Bhootha kola:

Bhuta worship, or spirit worship is a form of worship, special to Tulunadu. Bhuta means of the past, the bygone, meaning thereby the spirit of the ancestors. This is a form of hero-ancestor worship. Of course of spirit worship and possession cults are found in many ancient cultures. Yet the Bhuta worship is distinct in form and detail. Nearest to it is the Theyyam tradition of Kerala.

Bhuta worship has a known history of about eight centuries. But its origin must be much older. It is not only a living tradition, but is getting revised with much vigour and growing interest. It is a complex with beliefs, rituals, rules of worship, apparatus, literature, music and theatrical elements. It is a vast and interesting world.

Parba (Parva), Kola, Nema, Bali, Kendaseve are the varieties of Bhuta worship. Among them Parva is the simple form of worship, with offerings at the ‘Bhuta Stone’. Kola, Nema, Jatre, Bali are all varieties of kola with differences in detail. Kola means ‘wearing a costume’ or ‘playing a role’. This form is a detailed performance where the Bhuta appears in possession through a medium person. The performance has definite stages right from the inviting stage to the finale. That involves the use of verse singing, story telling, promises and solutions to various complaints, prayers and problems, use of music and dances etc.

About four hundred Bhutas are being worshipped. Some of the prominent names among them are - Guliga, Panjurli, Koti-Chennaya (Baidyerlu), Raktheswari, Ullalthi, Kodamanithaya, Malaraya, koddhabbu, Orthe, Chikku, Haiguli, Vishnumoorthi, Annappa, Nayer, Jumadi, Koragathaniya etc.

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Naga mandala:

Nagabrahma Mandala 
Dakkebali celebration 

Tulunadu is that part of Dakshina Kannada region(South kanara district) in Karnataka where people communicate in Tulu language. Here, Serpent or Cobra worship is done in a special way. One can see Cobra worship performed extensively here, than in any part of the world. Every town, every village and every family have the stone snakes installed for worship.

This part is also called Nagaloka(Serpent world) or Nagarakhanda(Serpent zone). There are many types in Serpent worship.

Installing stone snakes, offering of milk to serpent god, to perform Tambila, to make the serpent god possessed in someone, Ashlesha bali, Dakkebali, Nagamandala.

There are 3 ways of performing the Nagamandala:

1) ¼ mandala of sacred 4.
2) ½ mandala of scared 8.
3) Full mandala of sacred 16.

Nagamandala is performed in an open place or vast field. Nagapathris(one who gets possessed)and vaidyas make this ritual a huge success. The Areca flowers are piled up like anything, for this ritual. Nagamandala is a religious activity here.

Kukke Subrahmanya in South kanara district of Karnataka, India, is a holy place to get effective results or remedies for any kind of Sarpadosha. Here the people who are in trouble because of Sarpadosha come to the temple and ask the priests to help them perform the Ashlesha bali. This place is said to have more power than any other holy place for such a ritual related to the Nagas(cobras). 

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Annegudde  temple in kumbashi(5km from kundapur):

The Lord is called Siddhi Vinayaka or Sarva Siddhi Pradaayaka will grant and fulfill his devotees’ wishes.   People believe in him that he will solve many of their problems and hence the place is known as “ Mukti Stalas”  which means “Place where you can attain Salvation”. The garba griha or the main sanctum has the  Lord Vinayaka in Chaturbuja (with 4 arms) in huge rock like structure covered in silver armour.   Two arms are posing as “Varada Hasta” granting boons, and two hands indicate to attain salvation. There are many sculptures related to Bhargava Purana.

Anegudde means elephant (Aane) hillock (Gudde) and it is the abode of the elephant god, Sri Vinayaka. It is one of the seven places of pilgrimage in the region called 'Parashurama Srishti' which are believed to be created by sage Parashurama.

It is believed when drought hit this area, the sage Agasthya came here to perform yagna to please the rain god. The demon Kumbhasura tried to disrupt the yagna by troubling the sages performing the yagna. To rescue the sages Lord Ganesha blessed Bheema, the strongest among the Padavas with a sword, using which Bheema killed the demon and facilitated the completion of the yagna.

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St.Marys island:

St. Mary's Islands also known as Coconut Island and Thonsepar are a set of four small islands in the arabian sez off the coast of malpe in udupi,karnataka,india They are known for their distinctive geological formation of columnar basaltic lava (pictured).

Scientific studies indicate that the basalt of the St. Mary's Islands was formed by sub-aerial subvolcanic activity, because at that time masgardas was attached to India. The rifting of Madagascar took place around 88 Mya

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Kambala:

Kambala (Tulu: ಕಂಬಳ) is an annual Buffalo Race (he-buffalo) held traditionally under the auspices local land lords and households (Aramane,Beedu,Guthu/Mane, Dodmane) or Patel of village, in coastal Karnataka,India. The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts until March. Since the last two decades nearly 18 kambalas are held under the banner of Kambala Samithi (Kambala Association). As of now, more than 45 he-buffalo races are held annually in Coastal Karnataka, even in samller remote villages like Vandaru, Gulvadi etc.Kambala is traditionally a simple sport which provides much needed entertainment to the rural people . The 'track' used for Kambala is a paddy field filled with slush and mud. The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, each pair raced in wet rice fields, controlled by a whip-lashing farmer. In olden days, the winning pair of buffaloes was rewarded with coconuts and a bunch of plantains and nowadays, gold coins, silver coins are given; in some competitions, cash award is also in vogue. Some organising committes award eight gram gold coin as first prize. However, Kambala today has become an organised rural sport, with elobarate planning and timetable for Kambala at different places. The "Kambala Committee" is formed and it usually arranges Kambala in several categories like Kane Halage, Hagga Hiriya, Hagga Kiriya, Halage, Adda Halage etc. People place massive bets on the buffaloes to win and one can witness more than 20,000 spectators in a well-organised Kambala, egging on and cheering the buffaloes to complete the race.
In traditional form of Kambala, racing is non-competitive, and he-buffalo pairs run one by one in paddy fields. A ritualistic approach is also there, as some agriculturists race their he-buffaloes for thanks giving (to god) for protecting their animals from diseases.
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