Dattatreya Aralikatte
Encyclopedia
Dattatreya Aralikatte, known in Karnataka
as Datta (born February 22, 1953) is an India
n puppeteer
and teacher
, born in Aralikatte village, in the Chikkamagaluru
district of Karnataka, India, and resides in Bangalore
, India. He heads the "Putthali Kalaranga" (Puppet Theater), a well known traditional puppet theater group in India.
. Being a student, he was very much interested in the field of theater.
His first endeavour with theatre was during his college days and then on, theater has been an indispensable part of his life. He worked with playwrights and senior theater persons like Parvatha Vani and Dr. B.S. Narayana Rao both in Kannada and Sanskrit
languages. As he excelled in the field of theater, he got inspired to write his own plays, keeping in mind, the current social problems, amalgamated with inclusion of Mythological characters in his plays. He has highlighted problems such as pollution, deforestation, and adulteration in his plays.
He is married to Ramamani Dattatreya, who assists him with his theater and has two sons, Karthik Datta and Manohar Datta who live in Houston, Texas
. They assist their father in his puppetry talks occasionally.
Datta, as a part of his educational plans for his students, has taken many chapters in textbooks; to name a few, Panchatantra
, Buddha
's Life.
Tarakasura knew about the demise of Dakshayani the erstwhile consort of Lord Shiva at her father Daksha’s Yagna and he also knew that Lord Shiva himself was in deep penance in the Himalayas. That Lord Shiva would again get married immediately and a son begot did not seem probable to Tarakasura and hence the prospect of his impending death at the hands of Kumara (Shiva’s son) did not frighten him. After receiving the boon of invincibility, Taraka became a tyrant causing trouble to one and all.
The Devas who had to bear the brunt of the newly acquired prowess of Taraka turned to Lord Vishnu for advice and protection. Lord Vishnu summoned Manmatha, and entrusted him with the dangerous task of breaking Lord Shiva’s penance and make him fall in love with Parvathi who was in the vicinity undertaking a severe penance to win over Lord Shiva. Manmatha arrived on the location and performed his task which eventually led him being reduced to ashes, when lord Shiva opened his third eye.
Lord Shiva after testing Parvathi’s love & devotion towards him in a few subtle ways married her. The birth of Kumara ensued and this led to the slaying of Tarakasura ending his tyranny
Award Winner. He understood the philosophical meaning under Sri Ranga Maha Guru, the founder of the “Ashtanga Yoga Vignana Mandir” a spiritual Centre and Shri Shri RangaPriya Swamiji. As a result he established his own puppet theater called “Putthali Kalaranga”, evolving a new style in the field of Puppet Theater called “Mudrika Style”.
His name is included in World Puppeteer's Encyclopedia.
The Indian Government, Ministry of Human Resource and Development on recognizing Mr. Datta’s contribution to the educational field and puppetry has bestowed him with the national award as the Best Teacher for the year 2004.
He has given several demonstrations and shows in India and abroad. His visit to Iran
, Brazil
, South America
, Israel
and the United States
has got him and his nation, great recognition. The media has featured him several times Several live interviews have been telecasted throughout South America, the United States, Canada, Mexico, India and Iran. His works have been lauded by the Media and the public. His name is included in the "Who's Who" general knowledge book and Asia Pacific Men of Arts and Culture. Through his puppet theatre he has been serving the Society and the field of Arts. He is also a Resource person in the field of Geo-Sciences and Arts.
Other awards include
Karnataka State Janapada Yakshagana Award,
DSERT State Award,
Excellence in Education Award,
Aryabhata
award and
Raghasuddhalaya Puraskar.
Natya Shastra
is an ancient script which deals with Indian Dance & Drama. "Abhinaya" (acting, expression & movement) is important here. Vaachikabhinaya (facial expression), Aangikabhinaya (body expression) together constitute Abhinaya. This aspect receives more importance in Mudrika style puppet theatre and leaves a lasting impression on the minds and the hearts of the audience. The costume design for the puppets is done keeping in view the essential features ancient culture. Hence classical Indian dance, music and literature are an integral part of Mudrika School. The songs are based on Karnatic Classical tunes.
Putthali: Putthali in Sanskrit
means the Puppet used for the performance. Manipulation of an intricate web of strings, enables the movement of the puppet.
Sutradhara: The protagonist of the show introduces the story and the characters to the audience and also performs rituals before and after the show. Some times, he narrates the story. The concept of “Sutradhara” is a gift given by the Puppet Theatre to the Indian Theatre..”
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
as Datta (born February 22, 1953) is an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n puppeteer
Puppeteer
A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object, such as a puppet, in real time to create the illusion of life. The puppeteer may be visible to or hidden from the audience. A puppeteer can operate a puppet indirectly by the use of strings, rods, wires, electronics or directly by his or...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, born in Aralikatte village, in the Chikkamagaluru
Chikkamagaluru
Chikmagalur is a town located in Chikkamagaluru district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located in the foothills of Mullayanagiri range chikmagalur is famous for the coffee, it is known as the coffee land of karnataka. it has international school called ambar valley and a star resort by name...
district of Karnataka, India, and resides in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India. He heads the "Putthali Kalaranga" (Puppet Theater), a well known traditional puppet theater group in India.
Early life
Datta grew up in Aralikatte and graduated from high school from Basarikatte school. He is born to a Gandhi following father, M.S. Ramarao and Lalithamma. He earned his Bachelors of Arts and in Bachelors of Education Degrees from the Mysore University and Master of Arts and Master of Education from the Bangalore UniversityBangalore University
Bangalore University is a public university located in Bangalore, Karnataka State, India. The university is one of the oldest in India, dating back to 1886...
. Being a student, he was very much interested in the field of theater.
His first endeavour with theatre was during his college days and then on, theater has been an indispensable part of his life. He worked with playwrights and senior theater persons like Parvatha Vani and Dr. B.S. Narayana Rao both in Kannada and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
languages. As he excelled in the field of theater, he got inspired to write his own plays, keeping in mind, the current social problems, amalgamated with inclusion of Mythological characters in his plays. He has highlighted problems such as pollution, deforestation, and adulteration in his plays.
He is married to Ramamani Dattatreya, who assists him with his theater and has two sons, Karthik Datta and Manohar Datta who live in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. They assist their father in his puppetry talks occasionally.
Plays
The theater has efficiently adopted plays like Sri Krishna Thulabhara, Lankadahana, Kumara Sambhava, Sri Krishna Digvijaya. The plays convey the myths and realities of life, thus supporting a moral in each play adorned with classical music along with Yakshagana beats, making it a complete show.Datta, as a part of his educational plans for his students, has taken many chapters in textbooks; to name a few, Panchatantra
Panchatantra
The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian inter-related collection of animal fables in verse and prose, in a frame story format. The original Sanskrit work, which some scholars believe was composed in the 3rd century BCE, is attributed to Vishnu Sharma...
, Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
's Life.
Synopsis
The troupe is famous for its Kumara Sambhava (Birth of lord Kumara) shows. The story: during the mythological churning of the ocean, the celestial nectar that was produced was rightfully handed over to the Devas (The Gods) and they became immortal after consuming it. The Rakshasas (The Demons) too felt the need to become immortal and one amongst them was Tarakasura. He performed severe penance to propitiate Lord Brahma and ask him to grant immortality. But lord Brahma granted him invincibility instead, with the exception of defeat from lord Shiva’s son Kumara.Tarakasura knew about the demise of Dakshayani the erstwhile consort of Lord Shiva at her father Daksha’s Yagna and he also knew that Lord Shiva himself was in deep penance in the Himalayas. That Lord Shiva would again get married immediately and a son begot did not seem probable to Tarakasura and hence the prospect of his impending death at the hands of Kumara (Shiva’s son) did not frighten him. After receiving the boon of invincibility, Taraka became a tyrant causing trouble to one and all.
The Devas who had to bear the brunt of the newly acquired prowess of Taraka turned to Lord Vishnu for advice and protection. Lord Vishnu summoned Manmatha, and entrusted him with the dangerous task of breaking Lord Shiva’s penance and make him fall in love with Parvathi who was in the vicinity undertaking a severe penance to win over Lord Shiva. Manmatha arrived on the location and performed his task which eventually led him being reduced to ashes, when lord Shiva opened his third eye.
Lord Shiva after testing Parvathi’s love & devotion towards him in a few subtle ways married her. The birth of Kumara ensued and this led to the slaying of Tarakasura ending his tyranny
Guru
He learned practical puppetry under his Guru M.R. Ranganatha Rao, a Central Sangeet Natak AkademiSangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
Award Winner. He understood the philosophical meaning under Sri Ranga Maha Guru, the founder of the “Ashtanga Yoga Vignana Mandir” a spiritual Centre and Shri Shri RangaPriya Swamiji. As a result he established his own puppet theater called “Putthali Kalaranga”, evolving a new style in the field of Puppet Theater called “Mudrika Style”.
The theater
His puppets weigh around 8 to 10 kg, ornamented with traditional sarees. The movements are made by jerking them with iron rods thus making them lively. His plays have got easy conversation, classical Karnatic music with melodious tunes.Recognition
Recognizing his contribution in this field, he has been bestowed several State, National and International awards. Karnataka Janapadha Yakshagana Academy Award, CCRT Presidents' National Award, India, American Biographical Center, North Carolina, USA and International Biographical Center, Cambridge, UK. Datta was chosen by the Karnataka Janapada and Yakshagana Academy for its Annual award for 1996. He has also been honored by Directorate of State Educational Research & Training for using “Puppetry as an Educational Aid.” He has participated in several puppet festivals and seminars in India and abroad. The prestigious Centre for Cultural Research and Training “Teachers Award” for 1996 has been a feather in his cap.His name is included in World Puppeteer's Encyclopedia.
The Indian Government, Ministry of Human Resource and Development on recognizing Mr. Datta’s contribution to the educational field and puppetry has bestowed him with the national award as the Best Teacher for the year 2004.
He has given several demonstrations and shows in India and abroad. His visit to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
has got him and his nation, great recognition. The media has featured him several times Several live interviews have been telecasted throughout South America, the United States, Canada, Mexico, India and Iran. His works have been lauded by the Media and the public. His name is included in the "Who's Who" general knowledge book and Asia Pacific Men of Arts and Culture. Through his puppet theatre he has been serving the Society and the field of Arts. He is also a Resource person in the field of Geo-Sciences and Arts.
Other awards include
Karnataka State Janapada Yakshagana Award,
DSERT State Award,
Excellence in Education Award,
Aryabhata
Aryabhata
Aryabhata was the first in the line of great mathematician-astronomers from the classical age of Indian mathematics and Indian astronomy...
award and
Raghasuddhalaya Puraskar.
Philosophy
Mudrika Style: Datta's Puppet shows are temple-based & of Mudrika Style. Mudrika means "Mudra" or impression of God, Culture and Tradition. Mudra aims at preserving for the future generation, the philosophy of life, the philosophy of culture and tradition. Mudra symbolizes Union of God and the Soul. This Philosophy is stressed in Mudrika style puppet theatre.Natya Shastra
Natya Shastra
The Natya Shastra is an ancient Indian treatise on the performing arts, encompassing theatre, dance and music. It was written during the period between 200 BC and 200 AD in classical India and is traditionally attributed to the Sage Bharata.The Natya Shastra is incredibly wide in its scope...
is an ancient script which deals with Indian Dance & Drama. "Abhinaya" (acting, expression & movement) is important here. Vaachikabhinaya (facial expression), Aangikabhinaya (body expression) together constitute Abhinaya. This aspect receives more importance in Mudrika style puppet theatre and leaves a lasting impression on the minds and the hearts of the audience. The costume design for the puppets is done keeping in view the essential features ancient culture. Hence classical Indian dance, music and literature are an integral part of Mudrika School. The songs are based on Karnatic Classical tunes.
Putthali: Putthali in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
means the Puppet used for the performance. Manipulation of an intricate web of strings, enables the movement of the puppet.
Sutradhara: The protagonist of the show introduces the story and the characters to the audience and also performs rituals before and after the show. Some times, he narrates the story. The concept of “Sutradhara” is a gift given by the Puppet Theatre to the Indian Theatre..”
External links
- http://www.puppetsofdatta.com/
- http://www.ccrtindia.gov.in/awardlist96.htm
- http://www.puppetindia.com/contribute2.htm
- http://books.google.com/books?id=iy6_TtXCZjMC&pg=RA1-PA109&lpg=RA1-PA109&dq=ccrt+dattatreya+aralikatte&source=web&ots=k1m-cU_gge&sig=vKO7qdGrkBrYxAsvPBwzua7t4AQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
- http://www.theater.ir/article.aspx?id=8398
- http://www.cscsarchive.org/MediaArchive/advertise.nsf/(docid)/2E42F1B54041A564652569400044D0C5
- http://www.festivaldebonecos.com.br/2002/curriculos.htm