Central Kerala has been the hub of indigenous percussion music for centuries. The multiple genres of the drum tradition — Melam, Panchavadyam and Thayambaka — flourished in temples in specific regions. Of these, Peruvanam, a sleepy hamlet adjacent to Thrissur town, is known as the nerve-centre of Chenda Melam, an ensemble that is part of the temple festivities.
Art connoisseurs such as Dr. T. N. Vasudevan consider Peruvanam, not Thrissur, as the cultural capital of Kerala.
In the absence of reliable historical evidence, percussion maestros and art enthusiasts often turn to mythology to substantiate the antiquity of traditional temple music.
Fortunately for Peruvanam, there is Grandhavari which has made it possible to establish the fact that its Pooram has been held for the last 1,435 years.
Face-to-face
As the sun is about to set, the deities of Arattupuzha and Chathakudom come face to face, accompanied by the Pandi and Panchari Melams, respectively. While the deities of Arattupuzha, Chathakudam and Cherpu converge in Peruvanam, the ezhunnallathu (grand arrival) of Urakathamma Thiruvadi is the piece de resistance of the night-long festival.
As the goddess arrives, the second Panchari Melam begins. From midnight to 3 a.m., hundreds of devotees throng the place to pay homage. Simultaneously, within the walls of the Peruvanam temple, there is a small Melam addressing those deities who do not fall into the principal slots.
On the western gate, the goddess of the Cherpu temple arrives accompanied by the Panchavadyam. As she enters the temple, the Pandi Melam starts and ends near the Kuttambalam. After a while it restarts and finally winds down. Keli, Kuzhalpattu and Kompupattu follow.
Now the stage is set for the third and the final Panchari Melam. From 4 a.m., the Peruvanam Nadavazhi (considered a sacred theatre for melams) resonates with the beats of the Panchari, the Kuzhal, Kompu in sync with the Elathalam. The resounding Melam against the backdrop of crimson of the rising sun announces the finale of the event.
The Peruvanam Nadavazhi enables spectators, wherever they may be standing or sitting, to have access to all the melams and the caparisoned elephants.
At the Kuttankulangara temple, Pakalpooram is marked by Valiya Paandi Melam and in the wee hours of the next day, the Panchari Melam springs to life in its Nadavazhi under the moonlight. All the lights are switched off, making it an ethereal experience for melam lovers.
Poorams delinked
Both Kuttanalloor and Thrissur Poorams were delinked from Peruvanam and Arattupuzha at some point in the history of the temples that fostered the splendid culture of percussion-music.
At the initiative of Sakthan Thampuran, the erstwhile king of Cochin, Thrissur Pooram grew in prominence with Elanjithara Melam and Madathil Varavu as its highlight. Its secular character, however, did not minimise the role and significance of Peruvanam.
Dr. T.N.Vasudevan, an authority on Kerala’s instrumental music and performing arts, praises the Peruvanam temple and the village for safeguarding a great legacy. He observes that for the procession of the caparisoned elephants, the melam alone is most appropriate.
Right from Kumarapuram Kunhikrishna Marar, Narayana Marar and Appu Marar to the present day stalwarts led by Peruvanam Kuttan Marar, the icons of percussion music in the village and its surroundings have been consistently preserving and promoting this music heritage of the temples.
Apart from the Marars of Peruvanam, those belonging to Thrissur such as Kuruppath Marars and Pattarath Sankara Marar were also instrumental in keeping this musical tradition alive in the region. Kuttan Marar feels that in the current scenario, more and more educated and talented youngsters are keen to become practitioners of the melam. Over the years, Peruvanam and its Panchari Melam have put this musical tradition on the global map. For those fond of rhythm, the village with its pastoral elegance is an everlasting temptation.
