Senior Yakshagana artist Surikumeri K. Govinda Bhat passes away

Senior Yakshagana artist Surikumeri K. Govinda Bhat, aged 88, has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of performance and teaching.

Senior Yakshagana artist Surikumeri K. Govinda Bhat passed away at his residence at Heddur, near Tirthahalli on Friday night. He was 88 and is survived by three sons.

A recipient of the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2016 and Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for 2008, Bhat was a professional artist of Tenku Thittu school of Yakshagana for nearly seven decades.

Born on March 22, 1938, at Kukkemane in Bantwal Taluk of Dakshina Kannada, Bhat entered Yakshagana theatre in 1951 at 12 and performed till 2020. He performed in Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Yakshagana Mandali alone for 55 years. He had also performed in Mulki, Kudlu, Surathkal, Ira Somanatheswara, and Kundavu Yakshagana melas.

Bhat was also a Talamaddale ‘arthadhari’.

He was an all-rounder in Yakshagana. Bhat had donned the roles such as Kaurava, Jarasandha, Raktabeeja, Sri Krishna, Hanumantha, Vali, Devendra, Keechaka, Daksha, Magadha, Ravana, Shishupala, Rutuparna, Sri Devi, Karna, Hiranyakashipu, Bheeshma, Vishwamitra, Arjuna, Atikaya He was also a teacher of Yakshagana.

He wrote seven Yakshagana ‘prasangas’ of Mani Mekhale, Kanaka Rekhe, Cauvery Mahatme, Nahushendra, Mahaveera Samrat Ashoka, Rajashekara Vilasa and Moorvare Vajragalu.