HayavadanaA Yakshagana folk theatre piece, combining music, dance and drama. Two young heroes, Devadatta, a man of the intellect, and Kapila, a man of the body, are both attracted to Padmini, who marries Devadatta. When the rivalry threatens their friendship each man commits suicide by cutting off his own head. Through the intervention of the goddess Kali the men are brought back to life but Padmini accidently mixes the heads up, attaching them to the wrong bodies. A subplot fleshes out the theme of the search for completeness: Hayavadana wants to lose his horse's head and become fully human. |
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Common terms and phrases
ACTOR II annoyed arms asked audience Bhagavata Sir child Chitrakoot cursed curtain is lowered dance Deva Devadatta and Padmini Devadatta comes Devadatta enters Devadatta's body Dhanushkodi Dharmapura dhoti DOLL DOLL II eyes face fate father feel feet forehead forest Gandharva Ganesha Girish Karnad goddess gone Good-bye hand happened HAYAVADANA head heart hold holy fire horse horse's human human voice husband Kali temple Kannada Kapila enters Kapila goes KAPILA looking Karnad Karnataka lantana last birth laughter Listen live long silence looking at Devadatta Lord Rudra married mask mean mimes Mother Kali Nata National Anthem never Padmini enters pativrata poetry pull rishi river running sadhus Sanskrit scream shoulder shut sleep song stage stage-hands stare starts suddenly swim sword talk tell There's thing touch tree trying U.C. BERKELEY voice What's Who's woman wrong YAVADANA