A performing art form from Karnataka, Yakshagana is a heady combination of dance, music, costume and make-up, and drama. Traditionally performed on an open air-stage set up in the village, against the backdrop of flickering oil-lamps and flitting shadows, Yakshagana mesmerizes the audience and transports them to a world of beauty, romance, violence and pathos. It is probably one of the most exuberant and colourful of India's folk theatres.
There are two main forms of Yakshagana—Moodalapaya and Paduvalapaya. This module focuses on the two distinct styles of coastal Paduvalapaya—tenkuthittu and badaguthittu—and carries articles, image galleries, interviews and video documentation.