Tulasi Raghavendra Hegde: A Child Prodigy for World Peace through Yakshagana

Tulasi Raghavendra Hegde of Bettakoppa village near the bustling business Sirsi town in Uttara Kannada district is a child prodigy. Although entering the Eighth standard from this academic year, she is already a household name in the region along with the Malnad and Coastal districts and elsewhere the traditional theatre Yakshagana is being showcased.

Groomed from the womb: Strange it may look, but Raghavendra Hegde, Bettakoppa, journalist father of Tulsi Hegde recalls: “In fact, Tulasi has been ingrained with Yakshagana right from the womb stage itself as her mother and poetess Gayathri was listening to Yakshagana songs during pregnancy. As a natural instinct, Tulasi used to jump in a rhythmic way even at the age of One and a half years-Two years, whenever she heard about Yakshagana. At such an infancy stage, she used to view Yakshagana with rapt attention…

…Makeup from the Third Year itself: She evinced interest in donning the Yakshagana make-up when she had just turned three years! To begin with, the mother became the first Guru while GS Bhat imparted formal education. Ramesh Hegde gave the basic concept, Vinayak Hegde Kalagadde advised on dance and he was later joined by Ganapathi Thotimane. Dr Sripad Bhat provided the background vocals. Among the most important backstage artists included Bhagawat Keshav Hegde Kolagi, Shankar Bhagawat, VishveshwaraGowda, Venkatesh Bogrimakki, Venkataramana Hegde Huchhannemane among many a other”.

Seven years and seven plays: Apart from adoring Yakshagana costumes at an unassuming age of Three and a half years, Tulasi Hegde, says Raghavendra Hegde Bettakoppa-“Along with the significance of a Malnad kid making an entry into Yakshagana at an unbelievable age of Three and a half years, she ventured into presenting a world peace concept based Yakshagana at the age of five and a half years! She has also achieved an amazing milestone of doing so for seven different concept based shows in the past seven years”.

All alone and in multiple roles: Perhaps the multiple feats of Tulasi Hegde in delivering different mythology-based plays continuously on an annual and solo basis have also led her to a number of accomplishments. The dance-drama series has also enabled her to perform a variety of roles, including that of Lord Krishna, Devaki, Kamsa, Bala Gopalaka, and Gopike among many a other.

Make up for more than one hour: Tulasi Hegde, in order to get ready for the performance has to spend more than an hour undergoing the makeup and shoulder the Yakshagana play costumes weighing 8-10 kilograms! Added to such characteristics, she also needs to keep the audience spellbound for the entire show with a duration of around One and a half hours and by any parameter, this is no joke!

Shows with veterans in the field: The Yakshagana traditional dramas are nothing new to the Areacanut growing areas and the coastal belt. But a kid like Tulasi Hegde tying Yaksha bells and dancing with a background troupe of veteran artistes with 3-4 decades of professional experience is hitherto unheard of. Let there be no doubt of Tulasi being aptly benefitted by such stage experienced men.

World peace show at Five and a half years: Tulasi Hegde presented her first world peace concept based Yakshagana dance-drama show when she was barely five and a half years old! The show was scripted under the guidance of V Umakanth Bhat keeping world peace messages in prime focus. Later Prof MA Hegde Dantkal, Karnataka Yakshagana Academy Chairman, who passed away in April last, continuously penned lyrics for five different presentations. The One and a quarter-hour episode Vishwashankarakshara show demanding Shankara transform into Shankaracharya within three minutes was a mesmerizing experience not only to the audience but also lauded by several pontiffs as well.

Seven presentations in a row: The third attempt Shri Krishna Vande revolved around Bala Gopala enabling the Gokula residents to win over the six enemies of mind while the fourth one had a narration of protecting the world and Lord Krishna’s contribution to this regard. The fifth concept in the Pancha Pawana story dealt with Lord Krishna’s efforts in purifying the Pancha Bhootas’. Vande Paramanandam is the sixth in the series dealing with Lord Krishna unleashing moments of joy. Vamshee Vilas happens to be the seventh one revolving around Madhava’s love. Prof MA Hegde has penned the script while V Umakanth Bhat Karekai has directed the shows.

More than 600 one-act plays! Tulasi Hegde, unbelievable at her young age has played the roles of Abhimanyu in Krishnaarjun, Lohitashva in Satya Harischandra, Angada in Surathanjaneya, again Abhimanyu in Bhishma Parva, Vrushasene in Karna Parva among many a other. Not just that, hold your breath, Tulsi Hegde has given more than 600 shows in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Hospete, Dharmasthala, Tirupati and other places.

A list of endless awards: Tulsi Hegde’s significant characteristic is not just her scintillating performance but adopting the concept of world peace through a Karnataka art form. Recognition of her commitment has also made it an ever-increasing list. Yaksha Nidhi award of Kala Chetan, Gadag, Konkana Bhushan, Durga Yakshanrutya Mayuri, special talent award of Women and Children Welfare Department in 2016, Lions Achiever, Yaksha Padmini, Yaksha Ratna, Kala Kusuma, Havyaka Pallava, Kadamba Ratna, District Administration award, Kadatoka award, World Peace Girl, Nanda Gokala Deepavali award, Indian Kid Award… while the list continues to grow. Apart from a number of awards, she continues to be felicitated and her accomplishments have found a place in the International Book of Records.

Big wigs continue to bless: Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati seer of the revered Swarnavalli Mutt, Sri Raghuveerananda Swamiji, Dr Gururaj Karjagi, S.Shadakshari, TS Nagabharana, Tara Anuradha, P Seshadri and a host of many prominent personalities have been present in her first shows of unveiling new concepts.

Let Tulasi’s talent spread across the globe: Perhaps there could be no match to Tulasi Hegde’s exhibition of multiple talents towards a continuous series on the concept of world peace at such a young age. It is of no exaggeration that her display of acting, enjoying the lyrics and dance takes the audience to a different world altogether. Let this rural talent also get recognition at the international level as well.

https://www.karnataka.com/profile/yakshagana/

-Manohar Yadavatti