50 yr old Yakshagana artiste Chandrahasa Hudugodu Collapses & Dies while performing on a stage near Byndoor in Udupi district
Mangaluru: Chandrahasa Hudugodu, a Yakshagana artiste, died while performing on the stage near Byndoor in Udupi district at about 11.30 p.m. on Sunday night, March 10. It is learnt that Hudugodu, 50, was also the president of Hadinabalu Gram Panchayat, near Honnavara, in Uttara Kannada district. The mela had invited Hudugodu to perform as a guest artiste in Yeljit-Painadi village near Byndoor.
According to sources, he was performing the role of Salva in “Bheeshma Vijaya” episode in Jalavalli Yakshagana Mela (which is a touring troupe) when he collapsed due to suspected cardiac arrest. Though he was immediately shifted to a hospital in Byndoor, he could not be saved. His son Pradeep had accompanied the father to the show. The all-night performance was called off later.
Born in 1969, Hudugodu began his career in Yakshagana in the Bacchagar troupe of Shunti Satyanarayana Bhat. He along with other two artistes-Thumbri Bhaskara and Jalavalli Madhava Nayak had started their Yakshagana career together. Chandrahasa later got associated himself with Saligrama and other Yakshagana troupes. He was very well-versed in playing antagonist roles like Kaurava, Kartyaveeya, Salva and Kichaka.
Hudugodu, a professional artiste in Saligrama Yakshagana Mela had quit it about four years ago to perform as a guest artiste in different melas of Badagu Thittu (northern) school of Yakshagana on invitation. He had floated Kalashree Natya Tanda, Hudugodu, Honnavara which was a group of amateur Yakshagana artistes. Its artistes used to present short-duration Yakshagana shows on invitation.
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Meantime, he also entered the politics to become the president of the panchayat. He was well known for performing the characters such as Salva, Keechaka, Kaurava, Karthaveerya and the like. Earlier, noted Yakshagana artistes like Keremane Shambhu Hegde, Siriyara Manju Naika, Gerukatte Gangayya Shetty had also died while performing on the stage. With the death of Hudugodu Chandrahasa, the Yakshagana field has lost one more jewel.
With inputs from The Hindu
(1) WHO – Fact sheet No 258: Occupational and Community Noise , February 2001: Quote Prolonged or excessive exposure to noise, whether in the community or at work, can cause permanent medical conditions, such as hypertension and ischaemic heart disease. Unquote (2) WHO – Burden of disease from environmental noise – 2011: Chapt 2. ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Wolfgang Babisch Rokho Kim Quote Epidemiological studies suggest a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and myocardial infarction, in people chronically exposed to high levels of road or air traffic noise. Unquote At least 3 Yakshagana artistes have… Read more »