Kateel Yakshagana Mela Troupes Start Performance of Daily Yakshagana Shows For 2024-25

Durgaparameshwari Prasadita Dashavatara Yakshagana Mandali of Kateel kickstarted its daily tour of the 2024-25 season. The mandali or mela attached to Kateel Durgaparameshwari Temple has six performing troupes. The artistes of six troupes together performed ‘Pandavashwamedha’ prasanga all night in front of the temple at Kateel. The troupes will tour to different places in the coastal belt from Tuesday presenting short duration shows from 6 p.m. to 12.30 a.m.

An authority of the mela said the troupes will present 1,080 shows in 182 days till May 2025. The ‘Devi Mahatme’ prasanga performed by the troupes are very popular and sought after. The Kateel mela had switched over to performing from all-night shows to short shows (from evening to midnight) from the 2022-23 touring season since November 2022 after the State government issued a circular in May 2022, which did not allow the use of loudspeakers, an integral part of Yakshagana performances, between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. except in closed premises. Later, then Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada M.R. Ravi Kumar allowed the mela to perform till 12.30 a.m., considering the tradition of Yakshagana as a special case.