Veeragase Kunitha

Hello All...
Yet again here am I appreciating another folk form. Last time it was about Gujarath. And this time it is about another beautiful state of my country - Karnataka. The form is called Veeragase Kunitha. During the Kannada Rajyotsav Celebrations (Foundation Day of Karnataka), the professional dancers were invited to our office. The visuals in the dance performance kept me dumbstruck. So here am I describing the same to you all.

Veeragase is a dance form prevalent in the state of Karnataka, India. It is a vigorous dance based on Hindu mythology and involves very intense energy-sapping dance movements. Veeragase is one of the dances demonstrated in the Dasara procession held in Mysore. This dance is performed during festivals and mainly in the Hindu months of Shravana and Karthika. It is also performed at all important functions of Lingayat household.

Veeragase gets its name from the Hindu legendary warrior lord – Veerabhadra, Ajaata putra (Non biological child - who didn't take birth formally) of Lord Shiva. Veeragaase performers during their acts will convey some stories from the main six Shaiva puranas (Shiva/Linga/Skanda/Agni/Matsya/Kurma – Puranas), and some Kannada Veerashaiva puranas. Most popularly conveyed story is of Daksha-yajna. According to Puranas, the Hindu supreme deity Lord Shrimanmahaa Shankara bhagavaan (Shiva) was married to Sati. She is also known as Daakshayini - since she was the most favorite child of Daksha, who begot her after doing long penance to Maata Aadishakti.  Daksha (the Prajapati - one of the eight Manasputras of Brahma and a stauch Vaishnavite) was against this marriage because Shiva had beheaded Brahma (Daksha's father) and being Moola-purusha Shiva actually didn't follow any rules designed by Daksha which made him not to belong to any of the class-categories classified by Daksha (It was Prajaapati’s duty to classify everybody from Lord Vishnu - to smallest organism) and hence bore enmity with Lord Shiva. He married his most favorite daughter Sati to Lord Shiva after multiple insistences from his celebrated Lord Vishnu and his father Brahma. Added to this enmity Lord Shiva after marriage, did not do proper conventional reverence which is to be done by a son-in-law to his father-in-law; which yet enraged Daksha's ego, so he decided to perform a Mahaayagna to which he invited all except the Aadipurusha Lord Shiva himself. Since Sati was Daksha's favorite child; she couldn't refrain from attending her father's greatest of yajnas. To this, much against Shiva's wishes, Daakshayini went to the yagna uninvited. By then Daksha's favoritism for Sati had perished and he used the situation to insult Mahadeva. Unable to bear the insults - She cursed her father for his ego and showed her Nija Rupa (as Aadishakti). She cursed everybody from Vishnu to Brahma to each individual present over there. Even after many condolences from Vishnu and Brahma, Daakshayini got herself burnt with her own powerful radiance. Hearing this news, Mahaarudra Mahakaala Lord Shiva got very angry and started to perform the RudraTandava dance, which created turmoil in the world. In this rage he created Veerabhadra and Bhadrakaali out of his Jata (tied hair-matts), who went to Dakshayagna, disrupted it and beheaded Daksha, after defeating Vishnu, Bhaga, Poosha, Adityas and all present there. When Daksha's wife pleaded mercy, he gave his life and bestowed Daksha with a goat's head. The dancers performing Veeragase narrate this story.

The custom of bringing Devagange (Gange taruvud) into homes from nearby water-sources (usually from wells) is a tradition in Lingayat household for every important functions held. In this custom Veerabhadra is taken to please mother Ganga; Veeragaase is performed while bringing her home. Veeragase is to be performed only by the Jangama; also called Maheshwaras - clan of Veerashaiva/Lingayat community. The performers of Veeragase are also called Lingadevaru. The dance troop usually consists of two, four or six members. A lead singer in the troupe narrates the story as the dance is being performed. A huge decorative pole called Nandikolu, which has an orange flag at the top, is held by one of the dancers. Traditional percussion instruments called sambal and dimmu lend music to the dance. Cymbals and shehnai and other instruments like karadi and chamala are also used. The dance also involves a ritualistic piercing of a needle across the mouth. The dancers put on a white traditional headgear and a bright red colour dress. They also adorn themselves with a necklace made of Rudraksha beads, a hip-belt called rudra muke, and an ornament resembling a snake and worn around the neck called Nagabharana and anklets. The dancers smear Vibhooti (Sacred Ash) on their foreheads, ears and eyebrows. They carry a wooden plaque of Lord Veerabhadra in their left hand and a sword in their right hand. Female artists do not traditionally perform this art, but females have started to be a part of stage performance of non-religious nature, which merely is a folk dance.

Amazing is the richness of Cultures in India. From since the times of Kings in India, the art and dances have got a lot of encouragements. I do hope it continues to get the same... 

Please Take Care :-)

Keep Smiling :-)

With Loads of Love,

Maddy :-)