KOCHI: Close on the heels of Padma Shri, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar will be awarded this year’s Guruvayurappan Mela Puraskaram. The melam maestro has been popularising the percussion ensemble peculiar to Kerala.“Though I have obtained many laurels in my career, I consider this award unique since it is being given in the name of my beloved deity, Lord Guruvayurappan. I consider it a recognition for my decades-long offering of myriad melams at the lotus feet of Sree Guruvayurappan”, Kuttan Marar said.With his passionate approach towards melam, Kuttan Marar turned out to be the cynosure of all eyes at almost all the temple festivals in central Kerala.In Guruvayur temple itself Kuttan Marar had presented many rare melams like ‘Chamba’, ‘Dhruvam’, ‘Atantha’, ‘Anchatantha’ and ‘Navam’. His name has in fact become a synonym for Panchari Melam and Paandi Melam.Kuttan Marar’s unique quality as the ‘Pramani’ makes each melam an inspiring experience, especially for youngsters. Unlike his predecessors Kuttan Marar could attract the younger generation to the melams with his stylised performance.Inspired by his charismatic performance, many youngsters started to learn chenda. And that is the real contribution of this dynamic artist for the preservation of this comparatively less remunerated art form. The maestro could transfer the glimpse of this languishing art form to posterity.Marar became the helmsman of all prominent percussion ensembles in central Kerala including the melodious Panchari Melams of Aaraattupuzha Sastha temple, Panchari Melam of Cherppu Bhagavathy at Peruvanam Nadavazhi during the historical Peruvanam Pooram, Fifteen rounds of melodious Panchari Melam at the Vrischikolsavam of Tripunithura Sree Poornathrayeesha temple, Panchari Melam of Ernakulam Siva temple and the famous Paandi Melam performed as Elanjithara Melam at the world famous Thrissur Pooram.With his strenuous effort Marar could mould a strong team of percussionists comprising dynamic young artists from villages around Thrissur like Anthikkadu, Cherpu and also from Irinjalakuda. By maintaining a large team, Kuttan Marar provides livelihood for the families of his fellow artists.“We are getting more opportunities to perform at various temples under the Pramaanam of Kuttettan and this is just because of his unique pulsating style of performance”, said a group of youngsters from Anthikadu.Though Kuttan’s father, the late Peruvanam Appu Marar, the late Kaarekkaattu Eachara Marar, the late Chakkamkulan Appu Marar and others had contributed much to the preservation of melams, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar deserves a special status as a helmsman who made both Panchari Melam and Paandi Melam popular in almost all temples in Kerala with his unparalleled leadership quality.“Without the strong support of my colleagues who play Edamthala(face of chenda to play variations) Valamthala(to provide basic beats), Elathalam (cymbals) Kurumkuzhal(pipe)and Kombu (horn), the leading artist could not present a perfectly rhythmic Melam, says unassuming Marar who thankfully recalls names like Kelathu Aravindakshan, Peruvanam Satheeshan, Pazhuvil Raghu, Peruvanam Gopalakrishnan on Chenda, Maniyamparambil Mani, Wayanad Rajesh and Sharady Murali in Elathalam, Kombathu Anilkumar and Velappaya Nandanan in Kurumkuzhal, besides Chengamanaattu Appu Nayar and Machaatu Ramakrishnan in Kombu.The Puraskaram will be awarded to Marar on the first day of the Malayalam New Year (Chingam 1,) 17th August, Wednesday at Guruvayoor, after the presentation of Manjulalthara Melam.
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