The word, “Yakshagana”, composed of Sanskrit yaksha, a popular class of demigod, and gana (“voice”), has consistently stood for a particular poetic form since the earliest 1st millennium BC, the most famous dance drama form developed in the mid-16th century from India, Karnataka. The term, “Yakshagana”, is also referred to as “Kirtan”, which means costume drama. It is the most famous Indian dance drama. The drama was composed in praise of the Mother Goddess, Ambalapada. The main hero of this drama is a warrior princess and has magical powers.
