Vadya Kala Chakravarthy - Peruvanam Kuttan Marar

Shri Peruvanam Kuttan Marar made his debut with Chenda at the tender age of 10 by joining a concert in a temple nearby organized to bring out the deity from the sanctum sanctorum in a procession. Though his father, Appu Marar - doyen in the field felt that Kuttan is a natural legate, considering the social economic conditions, Kuttan should have a job for a regular income. Thus at the age of 20, Kuttan got a job in a nearby school as a non teaching staff. He was thus a govt servant for three and a half decade. How-so-ever, his penchant for the melam only grew and under the tutelage of his father he became a perfect percussionist.

Peruvanam is a synonym to the cultural activities in Trichur Dist. As per ths legends, our of 64 Gramams creatd by Parasurama, Peruvanam gramam remained the greatest for centuries. It is just 10 km south of Trichur town. Ilanjithara Melam is the most attracted event of the famous Trichur Pooram. For the last 30 years, Shri Kuttan Marar is associated with the melam of which for 9 years, he had been the pramanam (chief) leading the group of 250 artists of various instruments like Drums, Pipe, Cymbals and Horn. In technical exactness and discipline in instruments, Ilanjitharam Melam is the best example and there is no parallel till today.

Kuttan gained a massive reputation as a freelance chenda artist with abundant skills to captain the concerts for hours together. He is the receipient of Kerala Sahitya Academy Fellowship this year. In 2002, he was given the Institution's award. Shri Kuttan Marar had performed in 1987 in Russia and has now been performing in Gulf countries also. His fame has only grown and alongwith his name, the percussion art is also growing in reputation. More and more, young people are turning out to be good percussionists is a proof of the same. His concerts starting on a slow pace would gain momentum and speed up to an exciting finish particularly in conventional areas / venues where the crowd is given the entertainment to the filt. He is the master now and only a veteran of great concerts can become the master.

Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Dj3kvha6Xp4