Muddana Prakashana -1995

Muddana Prakashana came into existence in January 24 1995.  A few titles brought out by Muddana Prakashana: ‘Sri Ramashwamedha’ (with notes and summary); ‘Nandalikeya Nandana’; ‘Kumaravijaya– Arthasahita’ (with Paraphrase); ‘Nandalikeya Aisiri’ (The Wealth of Nandalike); ‘Darshana’(Vision); ‘Mukkalu Padyagalu’ (Three fourths Stanzas); ‘Guru Namana’ (Tribute to a Teacher) etc. 

Sri Ramashwamedha’ (with notes and summary)

This is the crowning accomplishment of publishing by Muddana Prakashana. ‘Sri Ramashwamedha’ is an epic written by Muddana.  It is Prof. Tekkunja Gopalakrishna Bhat that had made it accessible to Kannadigas’ hands as early as in 1932 with notes and summary.  The Muddana Prakashana brought out its revised version.  Balachandra Rao approached Dr. Padekallu Vishnu Bhat, belonging to the lineage of eminent scholars in Sanskrit and Kannada, with a request to take up the responsibility of editing the book with a revision.  Dr. Padekallu Vishnu Bhat did justice to the job and a revised version saw the light of the day in 2006 at Akka Kannada World Conference, Baltimore, USU.

Ratnavathi Kalyana and Kumara Vijaya

To carry out the project of recording the performances on cassettes Nadalike Balachandra Rao sought the help of the well-known organizer and social worker of Dharmasthala: B. Bhujabali.  The responsibility of producing the cassettes was taken up by ‘Live Cassettes’ of Bangalore. Sampoorna Kumara Vijaya containing 1000 Yakshagana songs sung by Sri Balipa Narayana Bhagavath and Dr. Vasanth Bharadwaj, Sri K L Kundanthaya and Nanalike Balachandra Rao in connection with Kavi Muddana 150th Birth Anniversary to be held on 24th January 2020 in his birth place Nandalike at Isiri Muddana Adyayana Kendra.

Ratnavathi Kalyana

The cassette on ‘Ratnavathi Kalyana’ contains only the last part of the Prasanga dealing with the wedding of Ratnavathi.  The recital is characterized by the special style of Yakshagana singing.  The beats of Maddale provided by Maddale artiste Kadaba Narayana Acharya have their own sweetness of resonance.  Taliyadithaya has his own art of producing reverberation of sounds in his voice.  There are eminent artistes as exponents: Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat as Bhaadrasena; Kolyuru Ramachandra Rao as Ratnavathi; Dr. M. Prabhakar Joshi as Vidyullochana; K. Govinda Bhat as Vatsakhya and Ramadasa Samaga as Dridhavarma.  Who played the role of Shabara?  It was Nayana Kumar.  Twenty six songs were rendered within a span of one hour giving full justice to the songs and without omitting or cutting anything short, without detracting from the brilliance of the art.  Why should any one speak in praise of it when the cassette itself is there as a proof? 

Kumaravijaya

What shows the triumph and glory of artistes is the performance of ‘Kumaravijaya’.  The high-pitched rendering of the songs of the Prasanga ‘Kumaravijaya’ is by Balipa Narayana Bhagwath.  Who can match him in the Yakshagana style of singing?  There is none.  Here also Kadaba Narayana Acharya is the accompanist on Maddale and Janardana Taliyadithaya on the Chende.  Sheni Gopalakrishna Bhat, Ramadasa Samaga, K. Govinda Bhat, Kolyuru Ramachandra Rao, Ambatanaya Mudradi and Nayana Kumar captivatingly play the roles of Shurapadma, Hiranyaka, Kumara, Hiranyakamale, Indra and Duti respectively.  Any inappropriateness, lack of proportion, or excess?  It is foolish to ask.  The interpretation of songs?  Is there anything else like this?  None.  It is so dignified, deep, decent and unwavering.

 Rama Pattabhishekha and Muddana Manorama Samvada (repartee)

This is a cassette containing recorded oral renderings of selected passages of Prose and Dialogue of Muddana-Manorama in ‘Ramashwamedha’.  The oral rendering is by well-known singer Vidwan Chandrashekhara Kedilaya, accompanied by well-known artiste Vidwan H. N. Venugopal.  Who is the exponent?  That is the celebrated scholar, Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh.  About the proud contribution of Muddana Prakashana the honorary consultant Dr. Prabhakar Joshi has this much to say: “The highlights here are the grandeur of description in ‘Rama Pattabhishekha’ and the hilarious pieces of dialogue between Muddana and Manorama.  This special literary piece would not fail to delight lovers of literature, certainly.  Balachandra Rao deserves special compliments.”

Traditional Songs of Muddana

Great literary works and Yakshagana Prasangas were not the only compositions of Muddana.  He had also composed a number of songs in the traditional folk style.  Balachandra Rao recognizes the significance of the songs, gets them recited by able singers.  He passes them on to all Kannadigas in the form of recorded cassettes.  Who recited the songs?  None other than masters of music like Vidyabhushana.  Would this not give the idea of the inventive ability of Balachandra Rao, the intensity of his love, the magic of his appeal?  Undoubtedly it would.

These cassettes are of a high quality, durable, strong and attractive.  All this was due entirely to the high respect and love that Balachandra Rao had for Muddana so that nothing less than the first rate would satisfy him to serve as a tribute to Muddana.  Vidyabhushana readily agreed to recite the songs in response to Balachandra Rao’s request.

 Savira Hadugala Dakhalikarana (Documentation of a thousand songs)

Another leap on the path of documentation was the recording of a thousand songs from ‘Kumaravijaya’ recited by veteran singer Balipa Narayana Bhagwath gifted with a sonorous high-pitched voice.  The leadership of the project was taken by veteran scholar K. L. Kundanthaya.  Everybody readily came forward to support the already spirited initiative of Balachandra Rao and his great respect for tradition.

Performance of Yakshagana Ratnavathi Kalyana

This was a still more ambitious project of getting a video recording of a stage performance of Yakshagana presented by Yaji Yakshagana Mitra Mandali.  It was a production of the group Pallavi.  The project was coordinated by Nandalike Balachandra Rao.  He was overtaken by an exhilarating thrill when a troupe of Badabadagu (Northernmost) style took up ‘Ratnavathi Kalyana’ to perform on the stage in a full-fledged show.  He responded with enthusiastic cooperation and help.  Keshava Hegade Kolagi, a veteran of traditional singing was the Bhagavath.  Parameshwara Bhandari accompanied on Maddale and Vinod Bhandari played on Chende.  Both possessed great dexterity in percussion gained through long experience.  Krishna Yaji Balkur, Ganapathi Bhat Kannimane, Yeleguppa Subrahmanya Hegade, Sripada Hegade Hadinabala,  Sridhara Bhat Kasaragod, Ishwara Nayak Manki, Master Shashank M. Kashi were on the cast.  All were experienced and well-known.  Whose was the direction?  Of course Krishna Yaji Balkur and Keshava Hegade Kolagi.  Both were devoted to Yakshagana.

This was a special way of paying a high tribute to Muddana.

Trustees of Muddana Prakashana and Adyayana Kendra

Sri Nandalike Balachandra Rao
Managing Trustee

Smt. Vijalayakshmi Balachandra Rao
Trustee

Smt. Nandalike Swojanya B Rao
Trustee