In the hoary history of Kerala’s indigenous music tradition, two schools dominated – one developed in Valluvanad and the other put down roots in several culturally sensitive pockets south of Thrissur, places such as Annamanada, Kuzhoor, Chottanikkara and Ramamangalam. Sadanam Divakara Marar who passed away recently was well-versed in theoretical know-how and practical applications of liturgical and non-liturgical musical genres such as Sopanasangeetam, Paani, Thayambaka and Kathakali Melam.
Privileged to be the adiyanthirakkaran (one endowed with the right to perform musical rituals in temples) of the Pazhoor Perumthrikkovil temple of his village, Divakara Marar was familiar with the various musical genres right from childhood.
His tutelage under Ramamangalam Thazhathedath Govinda Marar and Asamannoor Punnayam Pillai in ritual components of percussion was an eye-opener for Divakara Marar who, in due course, became one of the few surviving exponents of the Sopanasangeetam and Paani of the southern school. His singing of the thyanis and the Geetagovinda was not filled with gamakas, yet it was soaked in sahitya bhava, vital to devotional music. But his real forte was the chenda.
Training on the chenda under Kalanilayam Appu Marar at the Unnai Warrier Samaraka Kalanilayam, Irinjalakuda, and later on under the veteran Pallassana Chandra Mannadiyar at Gandhiseva Sadanam, Peroor, proved to be a landmark in the career of Divakara Marar.
He was able to make his mark simultaneously in Thayambaka and Kathakali Melam.
By the time Divakara Marar completed his training on the chenda, he was a well-known percussionist throughout south Kerala. For all the great Kathakali recitals, he accompanied his Guru Chandra Mannadiyar and Kalamandalam Kesavan as a reliable co-percussionist and substitute. Years of experience on stage along with stalwarts provided the tenor to the stylistics of his performance. Crystal clear was his urulukai although his nerkols were not bold enough to bewitch discerning rasikas. The latter was evident on occasions he played Thayambaka, the solo recital on the chenda. Marar seldom went overboard while playing for the Nayaka-pratinayakas in Kathakali.
An intrinsic restraint was the hallmark of his artistry. Loud, he never was, both on stage or behind the scenes. He was fortunate to have got the chance to follow the angika and satwikabhinayas of celebrities in Kathakali, right from Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair to outstanding youngsters in the field. He obeyed the actors and did not deem it appropriate to challenge their autonomy on stage not withstanding the ‘anauchityas’ (incongruities) they came up with quite often.
With a new crop of gifted instrumentalists turning sensational in the field of percussion-ensemble, Divakara Marar slowly withdrew from Thayambaka and, to a large extent, from the Kathakali stage. He then diverted his entire attention to the ritualistic musical practices in the temples, which he had learnt long back.
His was an attempt to correlate the theory and practice of sopanasangeetam, paani (drumming specially composed for offerings closely outside the sanctum sanctorum of a temple during the customary anniversary festival) and the pooja kottu (playing during the prayers and offerings to the deity) in such a way that it becomes accessible to all those interested.
He demystified the content and form of Paani and Pooja kottu with a threadbare analysis of both based on historical reasoning. A Senior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, prompted Divakara Marar to pen two solid theses, ‘The ritual Vadyas and their modes of application in Kerala’ and ‘The Secret of Paani’. Both are monumental in the sense that they explore the hitherto unknown realms of instrumental music exclusive to the Hindu temples of Kerala. The only other maestro who did the same with a different vision and at a different level was the late Thrikamburam Krishnankutty Marar.
As the Guru in the Kalari, Divakara Marar was a disciplinarian, who demanded the total attention and dedication of his students, whom he considered as his own sons.
As a person, Divakara Marar was self-effacing and amiable. When awards and recognitions from various cultural organisations came his way, Divakara Marar felt that his responsibility to society had increased. He became all the more humble. The rustic charm of his smile and amiable demeanour and his knowledge-infused beats on the chenda and the edakka will linger in the hearts of rasikas of Kerala music for many more years to come.
