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Karnataka has a rich cultural legacy dating back to the
Roman Empire, and this can be seen from the similarities in
the folk culture of Karnataka and ancient Rome. During
ancient times, the land of Karnataka had trade dealings with
various regions like Persia, China, Turkey and Arabia, and
its art and culture spread far and wide across these
civilizations.
Music, dance and drama are the very lifeblood of Karnataka
culture. Ritualistic dances performed in Karnataka are its
main cultural treasures. Some of them are Dollu Kunitha,
Puja Kunitha, Devare Thatte Kunitha, Yellammana Kunitha, and
Suggi Kunitha. Most of these dance rituals take the name
after the deity . |
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or the symbol or the instruments which the dancers carry on
their heads while performing the dance
It was the Vijayanagara kings and the Wodeyars who
patronized music in Karnataka and great singers like
Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa flourished during their
reign. Hindustani music contributed to the culture of
Karnataka and many great singers came from this musical
genre in Karnataka.
Another most important aspect of Karnataka culture is its
folk theater art called Yakshagana and Byalatta. This
Yakshagana theatre form hails from the Uttara Kannada region
and they are mainly based on the great epic Mahabharata. In
Yakshagana, the dancers wear colourful costumes and perform
with a variety of facial expressions. This folk theater is a
unique combination of dance, songs, colourful costumes,
music and dialogues, which keeps the audience enthralled.
Nagamandala is an elaborate ritual performed by the people
of Dakshina Kannada and this is conducted extravagantly
throughout the night where the dancers are dressed as
nagakannikas and perform dances, which resemble the
movements of a snake. The nocturnal ritual takes place
between December to April.
An ancient art form of leather puppetry, which uses stories
drawn from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, is known as Togalu
Bombeaata. It is an ancient heritage, and is still performed
in rural Karnataka. The local village people use this form
of puppetry to seek a good harvest and plenty of rainfall
and also to get rid of diseases or attacks by pests.
Costumes of Karnataka The array of costumes of
Karnataka presents a harmony of tradition and modernity
before the world. If you happen to walk down any road in the
capital city of Bangalore or Mysore, chances are that you
will find.
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Handicrafts of Karnataka In the state of Karnataka,
the craftsmen use their deft fingers and skilled hands to
make a variety of fascinating creations. One can find the
handicrafts of Karnataka adorning the homes of the ordinary
people, elite sections, and even the royal homes of
yesteryears.
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Dances of Karnataka The dances of Karnataka can be
classified under two major categories - classical and folk.
Depending upon the content and purpose of the folk dances,
these are further classified under two categories, namely
religious and secular. Most of the folk dances of Karnataka
have evolved from religion, and as such they are religious
in nature and are mostly performed during festivals, fairs
and religious occasions, which are celebrated by the local
tribes and communities with lots of jest.
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Languages of KarnatakaThe official language of
Karnataka is Kannada, which has its roots in the Dravidian
family. Kannada language has a rich literary tradition; with
Kannada literature having seven Jnanpith awardees to its
credit. It is as old as the Tamil language, which is also
from the Dravidian family. However, it was only in the ninth
century that Kannada actually became an independent
language. Kannada is spoken by nearly 65 percent of the
population of Karnataka.
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