Yakshagana is a rich and time-honored art form performed in the South Canara districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala. The performances are based on mythological episodes taken from epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, as well as the Bhagavatham. The name Yakshagana translates to music of celestial beings. Originally Yakshagana was known by different names in different regions. It was formerly called Bayatala by some people in Karnataka.

In Kannada, Bayatala denotes an art form presented in open air. Therukoothu of Tamil Nadu, Kutiyattam and Chakyarkoothu of Kerala, and Veedhinataka of Andhra Pradesh can be considered as sister art forms of Yakshagana.