Renowned Yakshagana artist Peruwai Narayana Shetty no more

PTI, Jan 24, 2024, 3:00 PM IST

Vitla: Renowned Yakshagana artist Peruwai Narayana Shetty, a stalwart in the field for fifty years, passed away on Tuesday night due to age-related illness.

The veteran artist, known for portraying characters like Jabali, Arunasura, Raktabijasura, Kaurava, Karna, Arjuna, Indrajith, and Koti Chennaiya , will be laid to rest near Mudipu on Wednesday afternoon.

Born in Peruai, Bantwala taluk, to Madanappa Shetty and Abbakka, Narayana Shetty made significant contributions to Yakshagana, touring with various boards including Kundavu, Dharmasthala, Karnataka, Polali Rajarajeshwari Mela, Kadri, Kumble, Kuntaru, and Kateelu.

Having made his stage debut at the age of 12 under the guidance of Aitappa Shetty, Peruvai Narayan Shetty honed his Tenkuthittu Yakshagana dance skills, performance, and stage techniques through training from Alake Ramaiah Rai and Kudana Gopalakrishnabhatta.

Famous for his powerful portrayals of characters like Raktabija, Hiranyakashyapu, Kansa, Sundaravana, Rituparna, Hanumanta, Jabali, Arunasura, Hiranyaksha, Shishupala, and more, Narayana Shetty was equally adept in Tulu episodes, gaining fame for roles such as Koti and Devupunja.