Home > Entertainment > Music in India > Peruvanam Kuttan Marar
Peruvanam Kuttan Marar
Peruvanam Kuttan Marar is a chenda artist who is into leading several popular traditional orchestra performances in Kerala. He is the proud recipient the recipient of Padma Shri award in the year 2011 for his contributions in the field of art.

Share this Article:

Peruvanam Kuttan Marar, Indian MusicianPeruvanam Kuttan Marar is the popular Chenda artist who has globalised the art of melam. There was a time not in the distant past when Kerala"s own collective percussion ensemble, the melam, was confined to the periphery of the temples. One man, hugely responsible for popularising it into a dominant form of artistic expression is Peruvanam Kuttan Marar.

The biggest challenge this art form faced in the past was its inability to rope in youngsters. It was never considered a potential career which would give the artiste a steady income. Even the best of them went unrecognised, it was reduced to being a sort of family tradition, and some of those who were into it took up other professions, while some were driven to suicide.

Early life of Peruvanam Kuttan Marar
Peruvanam Kuttan Marar was born to a family of chenda artists in Peruvanam, Thrissur, Kerala. His grandfather, late Peruvanam Narayana Marar and his father, Late Peruvanam Appu Marar were also well known chenda artists. His teachers include his father, Peruvanam Appu Marar, Kumarapuram Appu Marar and Sreenarayanapuram Appu Marar. He made his debut with Chenda at the age of 10. He performed at festivals in nearby temples including Peruvanam Mahadeva Temple. He also joined as a teacher in a nearby school at the age of 20.

Career of Peruvanam Kuttan Marar
Kuttan Marar is seen to be a part of popular festivals of Kerala including Thrissur Pooram, Peruvanam pooram, Kollam Pooram and those at Guruvayur Temple. He leads the famous Ilanjithara Melam of Thrissur Pooram. Kuttan Marar started performing at the Ilanjithara Melam from 1977 and has been its Pramani since 1999.

Kuttan Marar and others of his generation turned this ?gap? i.e. the detachment of the artists with their art to their advantage. ?People began to look at us with hope. There was a renewed demand for the art, we began to get recognised and even demand our remuneration.?

The melam itself is a wonder. Artistes get together, some of them meeting for the first time or after a long interval, without rehearsal, with no conductor, no notations, simply following a leader?s definite signs or gestures to create a spontaneous musical explosion. A ?pramani? (leader) of the ensemble calls for individual virtuosity, man management skills and the ability to lead the group without deviating from the traditional structure of the melam. It is he who controls the measure, speed of time, the whole performance. Kuttan Marar has been the leader in some of the most important melam venues for more than three decades now.

When he was barely 28, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar was invited to be the Pramani ? the conductor of the large rhythm ensemble, for the first time, both at the festivals at the Guruvayoor Temple and at the Chathakudam Sastha Temple. There are not many artists in the history of rhythm music in Kerala, who were assigned this difficult role of controlling an ensemble of over 150 artists of a 100 year old classical tradition, at such a young age. From then on, for the last 41 years, Kuttan Marar?s name is synonymous with the development of rhythm music in Kerala. He leads the rhythm ensembles in nearly 84 temple festivals on a permanent basis. Also, he is the conductor for over 300 Melams every year!

One of the recipients of the Padmashri Awards in 2011, Kuttan Marar considers this a huge responsibility and recognition for his art. ?I?m not an experimenter, or a teacher. I?m just one who is trying hard to preserve what has been handed over to me by the masters. All the awards have been recognition for the chenda not for my personal performance. It is for teamwork. I accept every honour on behalf of my team,? says Kuttan Marar as he straps the chenda on his shoulder and moves to join his team for another few hours of mesmerising music.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Music in India


Manjira - Musical Instrument
Manjira, also known as tala, manjeera, jalra, kartal, or khartal, is a traditional Indian percussion instrument. It consists of a pair of small hand. Manjira is widely used in religious ceremonies, folk music, and classical performances, showcasing its versatility and cultural significance.
Bhavageete
Bhavageete is a form of expressionist poetry in light music. It is a significant genre of folk music that unfolds the realities of life in an eloquent manner.
Kriti Carnatic Music
Kriti refers to one of the most widely used genres of Carnatic music. It originated from the kirtanas of the bhaktas, i.e., musicians who expressed their religious devotion through songs.
Music of Uttarakhand
Music of Uttarakhand has its roots in nature. The folk music of Uttarakhand is based on traditions, festivals and folk legends.
Music of Arunachal Pradesh
Music of Arunachal Pradesh reflects the socio cultural life of the people of that state. Music forms an integral part of the festivities of Arunachal Pradesh.
Rajasthani Musical Instruments
Rajasthani musical instruments are widely used as accompaniments as well as individually for entertainment.
Music of Tamil Nadu
Music of Tamil Nadu has an eminent charisma that reflects the pristine essence of the ancient art and culture of the region.
Thumri
Thumri belongs to the light classical genre of North Indian Classical Music that originated in the 15th century. It is known for its emotive melodies, poetic lyrics, and expressive renditions. Primarily sung by female vocalists, Thumri has evolved into a cherished form of music, captivating audiences with its melodic compositions.
Music of Kerala
With its origin in the primitive dances and plays, the music of Kerala has evolved to a high aesthetic sensitiveness and great technical sophistication since ancient times.
Ektara String Instrument
Ektara is a one-string instrument which is most often used in folk music in India. The Ektara was a regular string instrument of wandering bards and minstrels from India and is plucked with one finger.
Indian Musical Instruments
Indian musical instruments can be broadly classified into four categories like stringed, wind, Ghana Vadya and percussion.
Indian Folk Music
Indian Folk Music is full of rustic charm. The appeal of Indian folk music lies in the simplicity of its style and lyrics. Most of the folk songs are accompanied by dances.
Musical Instruments of Assam
Musical Instruments of the Assam are numerous which brings out the richness of the folk culture of the state.
Haryanvi Music
Haryanvi music is the folk music of the state of Haryana and is sung in western Uttar Pradesh along with the neighbouring districts of Rajasthan and Punjab.
Folk Music of West Bengal
Folk Music of West Bengal is practiced in different parts of West Bengal which is the semi-classical devotional genre of Kirtan.
Indian Classical Music
Indian Classical music originated in the Vedas and later branched into two streams of Carnatic and Hindustani music.
Musical Instruments of Ancient India
Musical Instruments of Ancient India, since time immemorial have contributed in making the Indian music more enchanting. A number of instruments have developed over time, which still finds a significant place in the music of modern era.
Carnatic Music
Carnatic music, also known as `Karnataka Sangitam`, is one of the two styles of Indian classical music.
Dotara - Muscial Instrument
The Dotara is a traditional musical instrument originating from Eastern India. This plucked-string instrument holds cultural significance in the region, producing melodious tunes that have been cherished for generations.
Tumbi Muscial Instrument
Tumbi is a type of string instrument that is mostly used in north Indian folk music. It features a high-pitched sound produced by a single metallic string. Popularized by Punjabi singers, the Tumbi has also made its mark in Western music also.
Xylophone Musical Instrument
Xylophone is a musical instrument consisting of several wooden bars which are struck with mallets; it belongs to the family of percussion instruments.