Puttur Gangadhara | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Senior Yakshagana artist Puttur Gangadhara passed away in the early hours on Thursday, soon after completing his performance at Kota in Udupi district.
He was 59 and is survived by his wife and a son.
Sources said that he collapsed at the “chowki” after returning from the stage and while removing his make-up at about 12.25 a.m. It is suspected that he might have suffered a cardiac arrest.
Gangadhara had performed the role of Kukkittaya in the Yakshagana prasanga titled Dharmasthala Kshetra Mahatme before passing away.
He was an artist with the Yakshagana performing troupe Dharmasthala Manjunatheswara Krupaposhita Yakshagana Mandali since he was 18 years old.
Gangadhara performed in the same mela for about 42 years. He was an all rounder in the performance.
Born on August 22, 1964, at Sediyapu near Puttur in Dakshina Kannada he had also performed the role of woman characters like Chitrangade, Mohini, Dakshayini, Prameele, Seethe, Shoorpanakha and Lankini. He was known for performing other roles like Devendra and Dushyasana.
He had performed in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mysuru and other places in the country as part of an artist of Nidle Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali which gave performances during rainy season.
Yakshagana Kalaranga of Udupi has condoled his death.
