A literary and theatrical tradition of Karnataka on the west coast of India. Developed from the conventions of ancient Sanskrit theatre, in has been influenced greatly by Kannada literature. It lacks the intricate language of hand gestures and eye gestures of the classical stage, but has evolved a distinctive system of symbolic make up and costuming. Very much a "people's theatre", Yakshagana plays will often be staged in the rice fields at night and watched by the entire population of a village.