Karnataka
Wood
A rare pair of dancers shoulder epaulettes decorated with floral motifs in a trefoil pattern within geometric borders, the outer edge shaped as feathers.
Religious dance drama performances referred to as yakshagana were hosted in temples in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The performers would be traditional male dancers ( araiyars) most notably at Srirangam and Melkotte in Karnataka. One such performance is the Narasimha drama narrating in performance the climatic events of the battle between Narasimha and the demon king Hiranyakashipu as recounted in the Bhagavata Purana. As a village-based performance the Bhagvata Mela was unable to attract the scholarly attention or patronage of classical dance traditions like the Bharata Natyam. Rather it has survived to modern times as a village-sponsored communal act of worship, devotional in both intent and meaning. The wooden masks and other accoutrements of the dancers costume were variously housed in the local temple or in the home of the person who performs that role.
Sizes with stands (cms): 31(H) x 13.5(W) x 11(D) each
Sizes with stands (inches): 12(H) x 5.5(W) x 4.5(D) each
