About Talamaddale

• The traditional art of ‘talamaddale’, an art form of coastal Karnataka, is a variant of Yakshagana theatre.
• The word Talamaddale is derived from the word ‘tala’ (Cymbal) and Maddale (the drum).
• While the Yakshagana has speech, dance and costume, talamaddale has only the spoken word with music being common between them.
• Hence, it is an art form minus dance, costumes and stage conventions.

Yakshagana

• Yaksha-gana literally means the song (gana) of a Yaksha. 
• Yakshas were an exotic tribe mentioned in the Sanskrit literature of ancient India.

• The theater form was originally called Bayalata (open place play) or simply Ata (play).
• Yakshagana is a traditional dance drama popular in the coastal districts and adjacent areas of the state of Karnataka.
• Yakshagana is popular in the districts of Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and the Kasaragod district of Kerala.
• Yakshagana combines dance, music, spoken word, elaborate costumes and makeup, and stage technique with a distinct style and form.
• It is generally regarded as a form of folk theater, but possesses strong classical connections.
• Yakshagana arose from the Vaishnava bhakti movement as a means of entertaining and educating the common people, and was well-established by the sixteenth century.
• A performance usually depicts a story from the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata and the mythology of the puranas.

Why in News?

The Sanathana Yaksha Ranga Cultural Centre and Northern California Havyaka Group hosted a virtual talamaddale episode streamed live over the internet.

Reference:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/amid-pandemic-traditional-art-of-talamaddale-goes-digital/article31836303.ece

https://yakshagana.com/talamaddale/

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Yakshagana