Udyavara Madhava Acharya

Udyavara Madhava Acharya (25 March 1941 –7 December 2020) was an Indian orator, short story writer, poet, and theatre artist. He is credited with modernisation of the traditional theatre form of Yakshagana. Some of his noted works include Baagida Mara, Rangasthalada Kanavarikegalu , and Nenapadalu Shakunthale. He was a recipient of the Karnataka state Rajyotsava Award in 1999 and the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1970.

Early life
Acharya was born on 25 March 1941, in Udupi district, Madras Presidency, British India (now the southern Indian state of Karnataka). His father D. Lakshmi Narayana Acharya was a Sanskrit lecturer in the Madras Presidency. His father was the author of the Sanskrit book, Rasavilasa. His mother, U. Lalita Lakshmi specialised in local arts and was an influence on his uptake of performing arts. During his childhood, Acharya was exposed to arts from the region including Yakshagana, Kola, Nagamandala, and Dhakkebali. After completing his primary education in Kalyanpura, Udupi, he completed his Bachelor of Arts from MGM college in Udupi, and went on to get a Master's degree in Economics from Bangalore University.

Career
Acharya started his career as a professor of economics at Bhandarkar's college in Kundapur between 1965 and 1969, and later at the Poornaprajna college in Udupi, between 1969 and 1996. He would go onto retire as a Principal from the BB College in Kundapur.

He rose to prominence as an author of short stories and dramas in the 1970s when he started Samuha as a theatre group that specialised in dramas and Kannada and Tulu language ballets. The group was noted for staging classical literary works with a combination of folk arts including Yakshagana, Bharatanatyam, and classical music. Along with his theatre groups Sahana and Saketa Kalavidaru, he is credited with modernisation of the South-Indian dance drama form Yakshagana. Some of his experimental and acclaimed theatre works included Shabari (based on Shabari from the Indian epic Ramayana) and Matte Raman Kathe. He had directed the dance dramas Urvashi (based on the Apsara Urvashi) and Nenapadalu Shakunthale. Specifically, he was noted for his contemporary approach to Yakshagana, drawing the focus to a group formation rather than a solo performance. Though not trained in classical dances, he was noted to have incorporated free style dance forms into his choreography. In addition to performing in India, his theatre group had also performed in the United States.

As a poet he had also written anthologies, with Rangasthalada Kanavarikegalu , Hu Midi Haadu, and Radhe Emba Gathe being popular. His book Paachaya was a recommended course book at the Mangalore University, in the undergraduate arts program. He had also acted in the Kannada television serial Guddada Bhootha. He was also an artist with Akashvani (All India Radio) in Mangalore.

He was the recipient of the Karnataka state Rajyotsava Award in 1999. His short story Baagida Mara won the Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award in 1970. He was also a member of the Karnataka Janapada Academy and was a recipient of the Rangavisharada award from Rangabhoomi, Udupi. He led the 4th Kannada Sahitya Sammelana which was held in Udupi.

Personal life
Acharya was married and had three daughters and a son. He died on 7 December 2020 at the Kasturba Medical Hospital, aged 79.

Literary works
Source(s):

Short story collections
 * Baagida Mara (Karnataka Sahitya Academy Award, 1970)
 * Bhaagadoddammana Kathe 
 * Nenapemba Navilugari
 * Belakinedege 
 * Nidu Patheyavanu 
 * Silu Bidirina Sillu
 * Hadi: Hattu sanna kathegalu

Essay collections
 * Ranga Prabandhagalu
 * Nrithya prabandhagalu 
 * Yaksha Prabandhagalu 
 * Sahithya Spandana (essays on different literary figures including Pu. Ti. Na, Kuvempu, Karanth, Sediyapu)

Collections of poems
 * Rangasthalada Kanavarikegalu 
 * Hu Midi Hadu (for children)
 * Radhe Emba Gathe

Dramas
 * Iddakkidanthe Nataka 
 * Edeyolagana Dipa (a detective story)
 * Gode 
 * Krishnana Solu 
 * Rani Abbakka Devi (written for Akashavani, Mangalore)

Dance drama scripts
 * Kuvara Bhasmasura 
 * Panchali
 * Bhishma Sathyavrithanadaddu 
 * Stri Shakthi 
 * Gandhari 
 * Usha Parinaya
 * Stabdha 
 * Ganga Lahari 
 * Soundharya Lahari 
 * Ambe 
 * Shakuntha Kujana 
 * Seetheya Svagatha
 * Dakshayini 
 * Hamsanaada 

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List of experimental theatrical works

Source(s): [additional citation(s) needed]

(1982) Brahmakapala – different perspective given to classical Yakshagana Prasanga (1983) Andhayuga – Drama by Dharamavira Bharati – Translation – Sidhalinga Pattana Shetty (1983) Hamsa Damayanthi – Telugu lyrics based on Yaksha Roopaka (1984) Bringada benneri Banthu – Based on Bendre's poems (1985) Arundhathi – Folk Dance Drama (1985) Chithrangade – Rabindranath Tagore – Translation N S Laxminarayana Bhat (1985, 2000) Shabari – Edited script by Sediyapu Krishna Bhat and Su Ram Ekkundi's ballad presented both as YakshaNataka and NrithyaNataka (1985) Ananda Mukunda – based on Madhvacharya's Dvadasha Stotra (1986) Ashvathaman – Halekannada Drama by B. M. Srikantaiah (1985) Hebberalu – Halekannada Drama by Rashtakavi M. Govinda Pai (1985, 1988, 1997, 2003) Ahalye, Harinabhisarana, Sathyana Harischandra, Haricharithe operas of PuTiNa (1988) Sitapaharana – Drama in Muktha Chandassu by Kadengodlu Shankara Bhat (1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1996) Vrindavana, Haridasa Vijaya, Avathara Vaibhava, Sri Manohara, Billa Habba using Dasa Sahitya (1989) Navanitha Ramayana – Muliya Thimmappayya's Khanda Kavya (1986) Suryasthadinda Suryodayadavarege – Drama translated by Sidhalinga Pattana Shetty (1993) Bhagavadgitha Nrithya Vaibhavam – presentation of Krishna’s Vishvarupa Darshana (1994) Kuvara Bhasmasura – dance drama written and directed by Udyavara Madhava Acharya (1999) Panchali – presented as Solo Yaksha Nrithya Nataka – by Udyavara Madhava Acharya (1999) Mahatma – a dance drama based on Kuvempu's Ramayana Darshana (2001) Matte Ramana Kathe – Sanskrit Drama by Bhavabhuti translated by Bannanje Govinda Acharya (2002) Shvamedha – Ballad by Sediyapu Krishna Bhat (2002) Bhishma Sathyavrithanadaddu – presented as Solo Yaksha Nrithya Nataka – by Udyavara Madhava Acharya (2002) Soundarya Lahari – based on Adi Shankara's life and works (2003) Ramayana Mahanveshana – a dance drama based on Ramayana written by M Veerappa Moily (2003) Ruthu Githe and Mukthadvara – opera by K. Shivaram Karanth (2003) Rukminisha Vijaya – a solo dance drama based on the Samskrita treatise by saint Vadirajatirtha (2004) Madriya Chite – Ballad (Kathana Kavana) by Kadengodlu Shankara Bhat (2005) Upanishadudhyanam – a dance drama based on Upanishads (2006) Hidimbe – a drama by Kadengodlu Shankara Bhat (2006) Valmika Ninada – a dance drama conceptualised written and directed by Udyavara Madhava Acharya based on the life of Sage Valmiki (2007) Gandhari – a solo theatrical presentation written and directed by Udyavara Madhava Acharya (2007) Honniya Maduve – a folk theme ballad by Kadengodlu Shankara Bhat (2007) Maha Yogi – a drama by Kadengodlu Shankara Bhat (2007) Silu Bidirina Sillu – a Kannada short story written by Udyavara Madhava Acharya presented as a solo theatrical number (2009) Kuchela Krishna – dance drama based on poet Pu Ti Na's ballad (2010) Seetheya Svagatha – a solo thematic dance presentation on reminiscence by expectant Seetha when she is left to fend for herself in the dense forest (2011) Rathi Nrithya Vilasa – dance drama based on Saint Kanaka Dasa's composition Mohanatarangini (2011) Narada Koravanji – a dance drama based on Saint Vadiraja's s composition Narada Koravanji (2012) Jwale – a thematic solo dance drama based on the story of Queen Jwale of kingdom Mahishmathi (2012) Hamsanaada – a thematic solo dance presentation on the story of Damayanthi and King Nala (2012) Mahakavyadolagana Samaanyana Prasanga – a drama based on a commoner's point of view in various events of Mahabharatha (2013) Nrithya Vyasa – a thematic solo dance presentation based on the life of Vyasa Maharshi (2013) Keechaka Vadhe – yaksha-bharatha dance drama based on Saint Vadiraja's poem Keechaka Vadhe (2013) Nanna Mommaga Hucha - A satirical drama where Sir Udyavara rants about the birth of his great grandson and tells that he is an incarnation of Lucifer. -->