Yakshagana
Yakshagana is the major art form of Karnataka. The ‘Bhootha’ dance is another ritual prevalent in the state. Here the dancer paints his face with bright yellow colour. He performs frenzy dances and is believed to get influenced by spirits.

With dance, drama, music, colour, Yakshagana is a grand spectacle. What strikes one most about this art form, which is over 400 years old, is the costume and make-up of the artist - the towering headgear, the elaborate facial make-up, the ornaments adorning the ear, neck, hands and legs. Stories from Ramayana and Mahabharatha form the theme of Yakshagana. A typical Yakshagana dance recital starts with the entry of the musicians. The Bhagavtha, the lead musician lends voice to the characters repeat this, in a stylized manner. All-important characters enter the stage from behind a hand-held curtain. Yakshagana is traditionally performed during the night.

Carnatic music
Hindustani and Carnatic are the two branches of Indian classical music. Hindustani is practiced in the Northern region while the Carnatic system predominates the southern part viz, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. The word ‘Carnatic’ stands for Karnataka from where the system is supposed to have originated.

In the Carnatic system, seven basic notes form the foundation - shadja, rishabha, gandhara, madhyama, panchama, dhaivata and nishada (sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni). While ‘sa’ and ‘pa’ do not have any variants, the other five have two, the flat and the sharp.

A musical mode is referred to as ‘raga’. Many ragas, each having a unique form and idiom have been devised by Carnatic musicians, by setting all or some of the notes in an ascending or descending order. ‘Tala’ (rhythm) and ‘Shruthi’ (basic pitch of the singer) are important in Carnatic system and singers strictly adhere to it while rendering songs. The artiste maintains the ‘Tala’ with the sweep of one hand and by counting with the fingers of the same hand.

Carnatic music is rendered vocally and instrumentally. The instruments, which are usually used in a Carnatic concert, are veena, Violin, gottuvadyam (stringed), flute, nadaswaram, mukha veena (wind), and mridangam, thavil, ghatam, and kanjra (percussion). With the exception of the latter group all others are used as accompanying instruments or solo instruments or as both.