Yakshagana prasanga set to create awarness against cancer on June 9

Mangaluru: Naguva Nagisuva Geleyaru (Nanage), that has set out to create awareness against cancer, will unravel it through Yakshagana with the prasanga ‘Arbudasara Garvabanga’ at Sri Nandaneshwara Temple, Panambur, on Sunday. Nanage, a culturally inclined group of people, is staging this Yakshagana in association with the Mangaluru branch of Indian Medical Association, as part of its monthly programme at the temple.
Dr P Sathyamoorthy Aithala, vice-president, Nanage, told reporters on Wednesday, that there are previous instances where Yakshagana performances has helped raise awareness on diseases such as AIDS and malaria, at events including medical conferences of medical bodies. “Use of Yakshagana has proved to be a more effective way of conveying a message on such health issues to the masses, including medical professionals,” he said.
Referring to the upcoming prasanga ‘Arbudasara Garvabanga,’ Dr Aithala said the dialogues are in Kannada, interspersed with Tulu, catering to local sentiments. The major characters are diseases – AIDSasura, Arbudasura (cancer) and Vishakanya, and other characters, who portray themselves as victims of various social vices. There are also the ‘doctors’ who come in as the traditional ‘pandits’ and ‘medicine’ portrayed as a brother-sister Goddess duo.
“We have used this medium to send a message as to how the disease spreads,” Dr Aithala said, adding that ‘Vishakanya’ seduces people prone to vices when they are their most vulnerable, and portrays their suffering thereafter. The denouement sees the ‘medicine’ come and mount a strong defence against cancer, making them flee the ‘human system,’ with a message to the masses through the ‘Gods’ on how they can steer clear from this disease.
Dr Sachchidanada Rai, president of Mangaluru chapter of IMA, said the reach of Yakshagana as a medium to send out socially powerful messages is well known, and the association has taken the assistance of Nanage to do so with this prasanga. Dr Aithala added that with no conclusive cure still known for cancer, the prasanga has been titled ‘Arbudasara Garvabanga’ and not ‘Arbudasara Vadhe’ to suggest how cancer for now can be tamed.