Written by Pathi Venkata Thadhagath
A 58-year-old Yakshagana artiste died while performing on a stage on Friday at Karnataka’s Kateel town. The video of the artiste collapsing in the middle of a performance has gone viral. Yakshagana is Karnataka’s traditional theatre.
In the viral video, the performer was seen playing the character of Shishupala in the play and was seen crumbling down the stage all of a sudden. The play was immediately stopped and he was rushed to the nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
According to a report in Today News 24, the Yakshagana artiste was identified as Guruvappa Bayaru who has been performing Yakshagana for the last three decades. On Friday, Bayaru was performing with his troupe, Kateel Sri Durga Parameshwari Mela when the incident happened. He was said to be associated with this troupe since 2013.
The report said Bayaru is a popular name among Yakshagana artistes in coastal Karnataka. He is also known for donning roles like Madhukaitaba and Hiranyaksha. Bayaru’s recent performance in Mangaluru’s Yakshagana town hall received accolades from the Yakshagana enthusiasts.
