A dance-drama form combining elaborate costume, storytelling and movement, judged on attire, costume, presentation, story content and footwork.
Yakshaganam is a traditional dance-drama in which a troupe tells a story from the epics and legends through song, spoken dialogue, dance and elaborate costume. On the Kerala school Kalolsavam syllabus it is entered as a Team item in the On Stage category at Category III, open to mixed-gender teams, and it is one of the visually richest items on the programme.
A round is run team by team inside a 30-minute window, with the warning bell at the 29-minute mark. The panel scores out of 100 across five criteria of 20 marks each: make-up and costume (Aaharyam), costume (Vesham), presentation (Avatharanam), story (Kathavasthu) and footwork (Chuvaduveppu).
An entry is a staged scene rather than a single dance. Characters appear in heavy make-up, crowns and layered costume, the story advances through a sung narrative and character speech, and the dancers move through the footwork patterns that give the form its energy. The panel watches how clearly the story is told and how well the costume and movement belong to the characters.
Organisers run it because it keeps a demanding regional theatre tradition alive among students and gives schools a place to compete in a form that combines acting, music, dance and craft in a single performance.
Where Yakshaganam comes from
Yakshagana is a theatre tradition from the coastal region of Karnataka and the neighbouring parts of northern Kerala, where it has long been performed as night-long storytelling from epic themes.
Where Yakshaganam is run
In the catalogue Yakshaganam appears on two templates, the Kalolsavam arts festival and the all-sections Kalolsavam template, both built on the Kerala school festival model, where it is a Team item at Category III. Outside that syllabus it is performed as a stage art in coastal Karnataka and parts of northern Kerala, and it is treated here as a regional item.
- Kerala, India
- Karnataka, India
Key facts
- Always a Team competition; the troupe is judged as one performance
- Offered to mixed-gender teams (Both) at Category III only
- 30-minute time limit per team, with the warning bell at the 29-minute mark
- Scored out of 100 across 5 criteria of 20 marks each
- Language is not restricted on the syllabus (Any/NA)
- Carried by 2 templates in the catalogue, both on the Kerala school festival model
On eTalenter, Yakshaganam is filed under On Stage and typically scored with Marks. It appears in 2 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Yakshaganam is most often entered as an Team competition, typically scored out of 100, commonly time-limited to around 30 minutes where a limit is set.
What judges look at in Yakshaganam
What a Yakshaganam panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Make-up and costume (Aaharyam) – 20 marks: the traditional face painting, headgear and ornaments that define each character
- Costume (Vesham) – 20 marks: the fit, finish and authenticity of each character’s dress
- Presentation (Avatharanam) – 20 marks: how confidently the troupe enters, stages scenes and holds the stage together
- Story (Kathavasthu) – 20 marks: a clear, well-chosen episode that the audience can follow from start to finish
- Footwork (Chuvaduveppu) – 20 marks: precise, rhythmic steps in time with the music and the singer
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Yakshaganam under Scoring Setup, or start from how judge scoring and tabulation works on etalenter.
How to prepare for Yakshaganam
How entrants and their teachers usually get Yakshaganam right on the day:
- Choose an episode that fits comfortably inside the time limit so the story reaches a clear ending before the 29-minute warning
- Rehearse the footwork until the whole team lands each step together, since this is where uneven teams lose marks
- Allow generous time for make-up and costume on the day, and practise dressing the characters beforehand
- Keep the singer and percussion in step with the dancers so entrances and exits are cued cleanly
- Give every character a distinct bearing and gesture so the panel can tell the roles apart at a glance
- Run the full piece against the clock at least twice before the competition
Ready-made event templates that include Yakshaganam
Open any template to preview it in eTalenter and install it as a live, editable event.
| Template | Category | Score label | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerala Kalolsavam – All Sections | On Stage | Marks | 1 |
| Kerala School Kalolsavam | On Stage | Marks | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Yakshaganam judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Team entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
What is Yakshaganam?
It is a traditional dance-drama that tells a story through song, dialogue, dance and elaborate costume, entered here as a team stage item.
Is Yakshaganam judged individually or as a team?
As a team. The syllabus lists it only as a Team item and the panel marks the troupe as a whole.
How long is a Yakshaganam round?
Each team has a 30-minute window on this syllabus, with the warning bell at the 29-minute mark.
Is Yakshaganam the same as Ottanthullal?
No. Ottanthullal is a solo satirical recitation-dance, while Yakshaganam is a team dance-drama scored on costume, presentation, story and footwork.
Want the full judging picture? Read how judge scoring and tabulation works on etalenter, or browse every on stage competition item.
Try Yakshaganam in eTalenter
See every ready-made template that runs Yakshaganam, and install one as a live event — age groups, rules and scoring included.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.