Chipparu Krishnayya Ballal : We lost him for ever

Noted Yakshagana artiste, chende and maddale player Chipparu Krishnayya Ballal died while performing a chouki Puja, a ritual worship performed in the green room before the main performance, at Bangalore on Monday 27th April 2009. He was 80. Ballal, who came to Bangalore on April 24 as a member of the Edaneeru troupe for a week-long program in various parts of the city, performed till Sunday. When Monday's performance (Jambavathi Kalyana-Veera Abhimanyu) was to begin in the evening at a branch of Shri Edneer Mutt at Koramangala, Bangalore, Mr. Ballal complained of chest pain, collapsed and breathed his last.Shri Chipparu Krishnayya Ballal, popularly known as Chipparu all over Yakshagana land, who had been a prominent chende and maddale player for more than six decades, was active till the end. He had magic fingers to produce Yakshagana Music. He started his performance in Mulki Mela and then joined and worked for Dharmasthala troupe for more than 35 years.
He borne in a tiny place called Bayaru (April 2, 1928) and started learning Maddale with Pandit Taltaje Keshava Bhat and subsequently moved to Kotekar, near Mangalore to learn Mrudanga from Vidwan Babu Rai. Latter, Mr. Chippar along with Kadatoka Manjunata Bhagawat and Vidwan Damodara Mandecha has created history on stage with their brilliant innovations and creativity. Great artists like Putturu Narayana Hegde, Kolyur Ramachandra Rao, K. Govinda Bhat, Empekatte Ramayya Rai, Puttur Shridhara Bhandari, Sampaje Sheenappa Rai and many more were all influenced by his chende while performing on stage. Mr. Ballal excelled in Jodata (Twin shows) where the competition is the essence.
I met Mr. Ballal many time and heard he talking about Yakahagana Music. He is one who agrees that Yakshagana Music is a distinct style of music that is in many ways different from the two schools of classical music, Karnataka and Hindustani. According to him, Yakshagana music in an independent tradition, but developed as a powerful theatrical medium capable of expressing the whole gamut of human emotions. Mr. Chippar’s understanding of Yakshagana’s tala, Raga shruti, and laya were exceptional. He believed that Yakshagana music is a medium in which the emotive and aesthetic functions could be communicated easily to the rural audience.
Chipparu has received many awards which include Karnataka Lalita Kala Academy award and Kerala Kala academy.
Thank you Chippar, for being with us as a greatest Yakshagana artist. You will be leading our Yakshaloka to greater heights through your life long achievements. We always remember your magical fingers.