Hallowed 'Natyashala' of Karanth gets a new lease of life after 83 yrs

Puttur (Dakshina Kannada): This town known for its cultural history and resourceful people has now embarked on a journey that will reclaim its history or revive a piece of history to its pristine beauty and enliven the legacy of Jnana Pith award winner late Dr K ShivaramaKaranth - the 70-year-old Natyashala where DrKaranth began formalising the academics of Yakshagana.

The Natyashala will be resurrected to its original beauty and health under the guidance of one of the top heritage architects of the state Niren Jain who is also an expert from The Indian National Trust Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

Outlining the developments on Natyashala's revival DrKaranth's daughter Kshama Rau told The Hans India that "My father built it in 1935 and he initially used it as a school for creative learning, which was new experimentation in the late 1930s, but his idea did not go well with the society but he later used the building for a normal school for children of marginalised classes. Later he converted into a printing press called 'Harsha Printery' which he himself used to operate the letterpress and printed the first copy of the award-winning novel 'ChomanaDudi' which is even today on the shelves of book houses in Karnataka"

One of the ardent followers of DrKaranth, a local heritage activist DrAmrithMalla who was instrumental in protecting the heritage buildings in DrShivaramaKaranthBalavana in Puttur town told The Hans India that "the Natyashala is a building with a great heritage value for the entire Karnataka, this was here where DrKaranth had begun experimentation of giving an academic dimension to Yakshagana and other folk arts of the coast. He used to hold classes for the young exponents of Yakshagana which later caught up traction and many Yakshaganan artists even today remember the training they got there. This is why it is even today called Natyashala" The Natyashala also has one more well-known artist attached to its history. It was KK Hebbar who popularised the 'line art' (RekhaChitra in Kannada) on subjects related to Yakshagana. Kshama Rau said "she would like to display all the works and artefacts that belonged to her father at the Natyashala and name it 'KaranthaSmritiBhavan' and has also identified to display all the belongings of DrKaranth. Earlier the people of Puttur with the help of the family of DrKarnath have saved two heritage buildings -Karanth's house for 40 years and his study room built in European style in Balvana. This movement was led by Dr. AmrithMalla.