Chikkamela: Opening Worship
00:11:32

Chikkamela: Opening Worship

Performing Arts
in Video
Published on: 28 April 2020

Savithri Shastry

Savithri Shastry holds a Masters degree in Physics and a Vidvat in Bharatanatyam. She is currently pursuing her Masters in the Sanskrit and has an abiding interest in arts and aesthetics. She is also an artist of Yakṣagana and Talamaddale - traditional theatrical forms of Karnataka.

Chikkamela is a variation of Yakshagana practised in rainy months in Coastal Karnataka.

A Chikkamela troupe consists of only two or three performers and accompanying musicians who travel from house to house at night and perform scenes from Yakshagana texts. This video shows an extract of the opening puja rituals and performance by Permude Sharadamba Kripapaoshita troupe. 

The video was documented by Savitri Shastri for Sahapedia in 2017.