KARWAR: Keremanmanmane Shambhu Hegde, a renowned Yakshagana artiste and former president of state Yakshagana and Janapada Academy, died of cardiac arrest at Idagunji, his native place at 4.30 am on Tuesday. He was 71.
He complained of chest pain after playing the role of Rama in a Ramayana episode, Lava-Kusha Kalaga (war) at Idagunji.
He was still wearing the costume.
As soon as he entered the green room, he reportedly said: “I cannot do it any more.” Suddenly he vomitted, but before he was shifted to a hospital at Honnavar, he collapsed, sources said.
The Yakshagana play was performed by the Maha Ganapati Yakshagana Mela, which was floated by his late father Shivram Hegde, as part of the car festival of Maha Ganapati temple of Idagunji.
Committed to the cause of Yakshagana, he strived to popularise this rich art form for the past 50 years.
He enriched Yakshagana through new experiments. He was instrumental in introducing a semi-circular stage in place of the rectangular one for Yakshagana performances.
He shortened the duration of Yakshagana to three hours from the traditional 12 hours.
He was always for staging Yakshagana in its original form. He was against any gimmicks.
Hegde popularised Yakshagana on foreign soil also by staging it in different countries, including the middle east countries, Australia and Europe.
An exponent of Badagutittu (northern school of Yakshagana), he was known for his fine display of dance and elaborate expression of feelings, dramatic gestures and melodious singing. An eloquent speaker, he was an erudite scholar as well.
Keremane Shambhu Hegde was the recipient of many state and national-level awards, including the Kendra Sangeeta Nataka Academy award and Rajyotsava award.
He had established a Yakshagana school in his native place of Gunavante near Honnavar.
As Vishweshwar Hegde, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education said, Shambhu Hegde lived and died for Yakshagana.
Many people, including Kageri, Kumta MLA, Dinakar Shetty, Bhatkal MLA, J D Naik, former minister, Shivanand Naik and others condoled his death.