The Masks That Almost Went Silent

Yakshagana developed along coastal Karnataka as an all-night theatre form, combining elaborate costume and makeup, live percussion and vocal music, and largely improvised dialogue built around mythological epics.

It's a demanding art to sustain — performances run through the night, costumes are heavy and intricate, and training takes years before a performer is ready for a lead role. Younger generations increasingly have other options.

Troupes like the one in Udupi still perform through the season, and spending a few days backstage makes clear how much is at stake in keeping a form this labor-intensive alive for one more generation.