Amdhra yakshagAnam - 1

[PALANA (pAranandi lakshmI narasimham)]

When we talk about Andhra Yaksha Gana, Prof. S.V. Joga Rao and his
exceptional and exemplary work come to my mind.

Prof. S.V. Joga Rao was on the faculty of the Telugu Dept., Andhra
University. In 1956, he submitted a dissertation entitled "yakshagAna
caritramu" for fulfilment of the doctoral degree in Telugu and in 1957 he
was awarded the degree. Subsequently, in 1961, the Andhra University
published his doctoral dissertation.

His dissertation is called the "yakshagAna sarvasvamu". It is an
encyclopaedic writing. Nothing parallel to this. This book contains 802
lyrics (yaksha songs) written by 465 composers. This book also contains the
origin, development, growth, rules, process of composing, spread, role in
Telugu literature, meter, and culture of these Andhra Yaksha Ganas.

Andhra University also published 10 volumes on Yaksha Ganas. Dr. Karnaraja
Seshagirirao of the Hindi Dept. at the Andhra University wrote and published
several nice essays in Hindi on Telugu Janapada Songs and submitted his
doctoral dissertation on Telugu Folk Songs in 1965. His works also contain
accounts on Andhra Yaksha Ganas.

Yaksha Gana is not merely a singing act but does go hand in hand with a
clean and clear story, dance, impressions, and acting. Above all, Yaksha
Gana is Literay Musical Dance Drama. With splendid make up and music, the
Yaksha Gana offers a superb recreation and pleasure. In Telugu Culture,
Yaksha Gana is (can be) regarded as the Pre-Drama (Pre-Stage) form.

The credit goes to Palkuriki Somanadha (1160-1240), who disclosed the dESi
style songs:

BaritOkti nElalu pADeDivAru narudaMDa jimdulanADeDu vAru
lIla nammADigELikalu sEyucunu
kODaMgi yATalu guniseDivAru
gramamoMda bahu nATakamulADuvAru
lalitAMgarasa kaLAMkArarEKa lalavaDa bahurUpamADeDivAru
nAvi yadgati bakshulADeDunaTTi
BAvamrOkulapai nADuvAru
BAratAdhi kadhala jIvamaRugula nAraMga bommala nADiMcuvAru
gaDu nadButaMbuga gaMba sUtraMbu
ladaraMga bommala nADiMcuvAru
nAdaTa gaMdharva yaksha vidyAdharAdulai pADeDu nADeDuvAru"

That is how Palkuriki Somanadha depicted Telugu Desa Yaksha Gana and its
performers. Somanadha included "bayalATalu", "dommarATalu",
"tOlubommalATalu", "veDDaMgaM", "Elalu", "dAsarula ciMdulu", "gaMtalu",
"kELikalu" etc. In a place of piligrimage or at 4 corners of a city or
during festive occassions, some performers used to perform these Yaksha Gana
Musical Dance Dramas, who serious took it as their livelihood and used to
make people merry and happy. Didn't those communities die a natural death?
That is a tragedy as significant as that of a natural calamity which took
ordinary people' life (not emotional. Both are equally bad.). Yaksha Ganas
existed during Somanadha's times but Somanadha did not call them by that
name.

Yaksha Gana has a specific singing style. That was recognized almost Ten +
centuries ago in Telugu Nadu. Srinadha was the first one who used the
correct words - Yaksha Gana (1381-1446). Srinadha's Bhimeswara Purana has
the lines - "kIrtiMtu reddAni kIrti gaMdharvuDu gAmdharvamuna yaksha gAna
saraNi". From this, it is understood that, the yaksha gAna is a different
style of singing all by itself.

Panchagnula Adinarayana Sastri (who wrote the preface for my great
grandfather, Sri Paranandi Venkata Ramasastry's Andhra Sabdra Cintamani,
Andhra Patrika Press) was under the impression that the Yaksha Ganas are
related to the songs sung by Jakkus (jakkulu). Jakkus once upon a time used
to perform Yaksha Gana Musical Dances. Gradually, the word Yaksha had become
a part of Jakkus. As they used perform Yaksha acts, they were called
"yakshulu" and/or "jakkulu".

Look at "krIDABirAmamu" (15th Century) and one can see "jakkula puraMdhri",
the Musical Talent of Jakkus:

kONAgra saMGarsha GamaGamdhvanitAra
kaMThasvaraMbutO gAraviMpa
masiboTTu bOnAnanasalu kolpina kannu
koDupucE dATimcu neDapa daDapa Srutiki
nutkarshaMbu jUpaMca valayucO
jevitrADu bigiyiMcu jIvagaRRa
gilku gilkuna mrOyuMkiMkiNI guccaMbu
tALamAnaMbutO mELaviMpa
rAgamunanuMDi laMGiMcu rAgamunaku
nurumayUrudvayaMbupainoltigilli
kaamamallI mahAlakshmIkaiTaBAri
valapuvADu vacce jakkula puraMdhri.

It is also described that the "naTTuva girls" are the same "yaksha kanyalu"
in krIDABirAmamu. One can also see the description of the yaksha girls
dancing in krIDABirAma:

hara hara yiMta yoppune mahAraBaTin jagaJaMkRta svana
nmuvaLi viSritAmkarava mUrcala jittamulubbi yakkalE
Dvurunade yADa jocciri kaDugaMDu vEDka samunnamatRyO
dharayugaBAra BIma tama tanvavalagnamulaina nRtyamul.

The word "jakkiNi" has its roots from "jakkulu" and "yaksha gAnamulu".
The jakkula puraMdhra's main occupation was to entertain people with their
songs, music, dance, and action and they nurtured the yaksha gAna.

Look at the Telugu translation of Annamacharya's "saMkIrasa lakshaNa" (in
Sanskrit) as done by his grandson, Cinnanna. In that, one can see the
occurrence of word "yaksha gAna":

yakshagAna padaMbu navvidhamuna
samucitAnEkavidhatALasaMgatulanu
navarasAlaMkriyA suvarNaMulagucu
nalaruna viharikIrtanAcAryuDaniye.

What is the connection between Annamacharya and Yakshaganas? Recently, I was
reading a collection of songs - cittUru pallesImalO vemkaTEsvarunipai
BaktigItAlu. These are Chitturu Folk songs on Venkateswara. Who composed
these songs? What were their Origin? Now it strikes to me that some of those
may have origin from jakku's tongue.

Peddana's (16th century) lakshNa sArasaMgrahamu contains inclusion of
"tripuTarEku", "jaMperEku", "raccarEku", and "ATatALamu" and also the
distinctions of "ragaDa". In Telugu literary history, it is documented that
the "saurabha caritra" of Prolugamti Cenna Sauri (14th century) contains the
story of Jakkulu. Dr. S.V. Joga Rao, the boss-man researcher of Andhra
Yaksha Ganas, said that in Vellamki Tatabhattu's "kavilOka cimtAmaNi", the
"lakshmI kaLyANamu" may be an "yakshagAnamu" but unfortunately this piece
was unfound.

The first songs of yakshagaanas are called "jakkula rEku". The Devotional
and songs on the Brave do belong to the first category also.

In Telugu Yaksha Gana, the prose is minimum. There is no sUtradhAri. Either
a female or male will render the song with "bhAva".

sugrIva vijayamu belongs to the second category of Telugu Yaksha Ganas
written by Kandukuri Rudrakavi (16th Century). Cakrapuri Raghavacharya's
"vipranArAyaNa caritra" also belongs to this yakshagaana category. Kandukuri
Rudrakavi's sugrIva vijayamu is very popular (according to SVJR). Kramja
Venkatadri's "vaasamtikaa pariNayamu", Balapapamba Akkamahadevi's "kaMkaTi
paaparaaju vishNumaayanaaTakamu" and Tekumalla Ramgasayi's "jaanakI
pariNayamu" were written in the 16th century. Balapapamba was the first
Female Yaksha Gana Writer.

The third phase of Telugu Yaksha Gana's transformed into street dramas
(vIdhi nATakamulu). This transformation took place in the 17th century
during the rule of Tanjore Kings. Eventhough the birth place of
Yaksha Ganas is Rayalseema, they enjoyed the care and petting of the Rajas
of Tanjore. This always happens where the people of Andhra ignore their
Heritage and someoneelse will take it over. Look at the present state of
Tyagaraja's lyrics. Never be surprised. One of these days, Annamayya will
move to Madras also and he will be called "Anna" or "Annamoyyappayyar". (Not
emotional. Feel sad!)

"rukmiNIkRshNa vivAhamu", another Yaksha Gana, was written by Raghunadha
Nayaka (16th Century) but unfortunately this is also not available. That is
what happened to several of our literary treasures. It is also said that
Vijayaraghava wrote 23 Yaksha Ganas, which contain "kALiyamardanamu",
"kRshNavilAsamu", "vipranArAyaNa", "raGunAdhAByudayamu", "pUtanaharaNamu",
and "prahlAda caritra" - the 6 published Yaksha Gana plays, which are very
popular. It is also known that Vijayaraghava, deliberately called these
Yaksha Ganas, "Drama" or "nATakamu".

As mentioned ealier, Yaksha Gana and Vidhi Nataka are inseparable. Yaksha
Gana has the salient features of Vidhin Nataka. Yaksha Gana and Vidhi Nataka
are the same. The most famous of those Vidhi Nataka - Yaksha Gana are:
raGunAdha naayakaaByudayamu (vijayaraaghavuDu), mannaarudaasa vilaasa
naaTakamu (pasupulETi ramgaajamma), hEmaabjanaayikaa pariNayamu (
mannaarudEvu), vijayaraaGava camdrikaa vihaaramu (kaamarasu vEmkaTapati
sOmayaaji - probably related to our BGSU KV RAO - very few with this last
name exist these days), vijayaraaGava kaLyaaNamu (kOnETi dIkshita kavi), and
the tamjaapuraannadaana mahaanaaTakamu (purushOttama dIkshituDu). The line
"nATaka SabdamicaTa sAmAnya dRSyaprabaMdhavAci" - was an arcane but well-known
kaavya (caaTu kaavya) those days. The raaga of Yaksha Gana is importance.

Again non-Telugu kings like the Maharashtra kings like Sahaji (16th century)
himself wrote 20 Yaksha Ganas and kiraatavilaasamu, kRshnalIlaa vilaasamu,
gamgaapaarvatI samvaadamu, jalakrIDalu, draupadI kaLyANamu, paarvatI
kaLyaaNamu, ratIkaLyaaNamu, raamapaTTaaBishEkamu, rukmiNIsatyaBaama
samvaadamu, vallI kaLyaaNamu, viGnEswara kaLyaaNamu, tyaagaraaja vinOdacitra
prabamdhamu, vishNupallaki sEvA prabamdhamu, SaMkara pallaki sEvA
prabamdhamu are the most famous of his works.

vIdhi Baagavatamulu are just like the Yaksha Ganas. The Kuchipudi
Bhagavatars, who are the most talented in Barata's Dance are well-respected
in this. The Kuchipudi Bhagavatars popularized the Yaksha Ganas like the
kiraataarjuniiyamu, garuDaacalamu, tripurasamhaaramu, paarvatiipariNayamu
and gamgaagaurI vilaasamu. The siddhEmdra yOgi's kalaapaamu is said to have
roots from the Yaksha Gana, upto some extent. Yaksha Ganas played a major
role in the prominence of Kuchipudi Dance.

The rest is forthcoming.

--pAlana

Acknowledgements: I am indebted to Chy. Paruchuri Sreenivas who is always my
inspiration and encouragement in learning hidden treasures of our Literature
and Culture. We had some discussion about Yaksha Ganas and Chandassu long
time ago. That is the start of this essay and it is long due. Time has come.

References:

1) Dr. S.V. Jogarao : Andhra Yaksha Gana Charitra
2) Dr. J. Nagayya : Telugu Sahitry Samiksha
3) Dr. B. Ramaraju: Telugu Janapada Geya Sahityamu
4) Sri. Paranandi V. Ramasastry: History of Drama as an Art
5) Sri. Paranandi V. Ramasastry: kRshNacamdra gajapatulakAlamlO nATaka kaLa
6) Personal Discussions with Sri Sreenivas Parucuri
7) Dr. K.V.R. Narasimham - Some personal discussions (1978-1980)
8) Sri Samineni Suryanarayana - Personal discussions (1970-1980)
A violinist born to play violin in the Devadasi community.
My music teacher.
9) Annamacharya Geya Samputi
10) Citturu Jillalo Venkateswarunipai Pallepatalu

Disclaimer: Opinions above are mine only.
For educational purpose only.
Anyone who wants to use this for other than reading, please let
me know. Please honor my request.

[<P.S.Sahithi@csc.liv.ac.uk>"@drn.zippo.com]

HISTORY:

The antiquity of Yakshagana can not be traced with full certainity.

On Tue, 20 May 1997 PALANA gaaru wrote:

> Srinadha was the first one who used the
> correct words - Yaksha Gana (1381-1446). Srinadha's Bhimeswara Purana has
> the lines - "kIrtiMtu reddAni kIrti gaMdharvuDu gAmdharvamuna yaksha gAna
> saraNi".

Thanks PALANA gaaru. From the above reference, it can well be surmised
that Andhra Yakshagana is atleast 600 years old. Although, Karnataka
Yakshagana is considered several centuries old, first evidence of this
is the work 'Bharatesha Vaibhava', written in 1557 A.D.
by the noted poet 'Rantakara Varni'. The book carries a detailed
description of a Yakshagana performance.

ORIGIN OF YAKSHAGANA:

(Based on personal discussion with Subbarayappa, Udipi, South
Canera District, karnataka during 1990.)

During first millennium B.C, the Dravidian cult devotion stressed
the worship of images rather than abstract principles. Among the
Dravidian gods were innumerable place spirits, tutelary dieties and
powers of nature conceived as personal beings. First of these gods
are 'Yakshas', tree-spirits who were also worshipped as guardians
of the mineral treasures hidden in the earth and associated with the
idea of wealth and abundance. The female counterpart of the Yaksha
is yakshi, a sort of Indian dryad and the spirit of the fertility
of the tree. These Yakshis are considered as symbols of sap, the
waters, and the fertility of the whole vegetable and animal worlds.
They were specifically invoked by women desiring children.
In Karnataka there are some age old rituals concerning Yakshas
and Yakshis. Yakshaganas are the heart of these rituals. People
offer prayers to Yakshas and Yakshis through music and dance.
The active season of Yakshaganas is from December to May, that is,
after Paddy is harvested.

A snapshot of Yakshaganam (http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~sahithi/gif/yaksha.gif).

Performers of Yakshagana are mostly village folk, such as farmers
who have received sound training in the art. During the season, after
each night's performance, the players pack up and travel to the next
halt where they rest a while in the afternoon before preparing again
for the next performance.

Formerly there were many Yakshagana groups in southern states of India.
Unfortunately, their number has now dwindled to under a dozen.

(Ref: Mohan Khokar, "Traditions of Indian Classical Dance", 1979)

Sahithi

[Dakshin]

I think the two versions of Yakshaganas I'm reading here (one from USA and
other other from UK with the one from Denmark still under translation :-)
are disjointed
around the ritual aspect. To draw a parallel with vedic hymns, reading
vedas is not called "ganam." It is "pathanam." Venkatesha suprabhatam
by <name your favorite voice> is a pathanam no matter who does it.
If you want to call it "ganam" then you run into the risk of explaining
ragas and talas.

Best wishes for your continued co-operation.

Dakshin

[Sreenivas Paruchuri]

In article <19970523213...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, dak...@aol.com
(Dakshin) writes:

>> I think the two versions of Yakshaganas I'm reading here (one from USA and
>> other other from UK with the one from Denmark still under translation :-)

Oh, I am surprised to see that Mr. all-knowing Dakshin didn't know that
DE stands for Deutschland (and DK stands for Denmark). Probably he oversaw .....

sincerely yours
Sreenivas Paruchuri

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Die guten Leutchen wissen nicht, was es einem fuer Zeit und Muehe gekostet,
um lesen zu lernen. Ich habe 80 Jahre dazu gebraucht und kann noch jetzt
nicht sagen, dass ich am Ziel waere.
--J. W. Goethe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Ram.Kan...@drn.zippo.com]

In article , sre...@ktpsp1.uni-paderborn.de says...

>
>In article <19970523213...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, dak...@aol.com
>(Dakshin) writes:
>
>>> I think the two versions of Yakshaganas I'm reading here (one from USA and
>>> other other from UK with the one from Denmark still under translation :-)
>
>Oh, I am surprised to see that Mr. all-knowing Dakshin didn't know that
>DE stands for Deutschland (and DK stands for Denmark). Probably he oversaw .....
>

In all probability, the distinction between DE and DK is the sole subject unexplored by DG.
I am sure he will soon enlighten the 'editor' and all SCIT readers with his analysis and
views.

Ram Kandimalla

[Ram.Kan...@drn.zippo.com]

In article , sre...@ktpsp1.uni-paderborn.de says...
>
>In article <19970523213...@ladder01.news.aol.com>, dak...@aol.com
>(Dakshin) writes:
>
>>> I think the two versions of Yakshaganas I'm reading here (one from USA and
>>> other other from UK with the one from Denmark still under translation :-)
>
>Oh, I am surprised to see that Mr. all-knowing Dakshin didn't know that
>DE stands for Deutschland (and DK stands for Denmark). Probably he oversaw .....
>

In all probability, the distinction between DE and DK is the only
subject unexplored by DG. I am sure he will soon enlighten us
with his visleshana.