The famed Chottanikkara Devi Temple in Kochi witnessed an unprecedented rush of devotees on October 18, the first day of Malayalam month Thulam. The devotees turned up in such large numbers, not just to worship at the temple, but also to witness the `Pavizhamallithara Melam’, a superb Chenda(drum) Melam performance under the leadership of Malayalam cine actor Jayaram.
The crowds cheered and rocked in ecstasy as Jayaram and a hundred odd co-artistes played magic on the Chenda and took the performance to a feverish crescendo.
Jayaram, who excels as a mimicry artiste and a busy actor in Malayalam and Tamil films, these days holds the crowds in thrall with his superb Chenda Melam at many temple festivals in Kerala.
Courtesy: Venu Muruvelil
For him, Chenda is not just an instrument, but a passion, as he calls it. His fondness for Chenda started from the Pooram grounds of temples, in Central Kerala in his childhood. He began learning Chenda only after entering films. He staged his Arengetam (debut performance) under the tutelage of his first guru Pallassana Nandakumar.
The biggest lessons in Panchari melam and now Pandi melam were learnt from no less a legend than Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar. In fact, Mattannur stayed in Jayaram’s house in Chennai for three months to teach him the nuances of Chenda Melam.
Now-a-days, Jayaram goes for at least one or two Chenda performances a month, whenever he can take a break from film commitments. He gets up at 4 in the morning and does rigorous practice in Chenda, despite his busy schedule. The proceeds received for the melams are set aside for helping the poor.
Courtesy: Venu Muruvelil
As a gesture to inmates of Kannur Central Prison, he donated ten Chendas to them, after one of the inmates trained in Chenda performance wrote to the actor, saying that they could not practice because of the lack of instruments.
Jayaram portrayed a Chenda player in the film Swapaanam. When he was presented with the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Chenda Melam, Jayaram said he felt as excited as he was when he won the Padma Shri award.
“My biggest wish as a Chenda artiste was fulfilled when I got an opportunity to play the Chenda standing alongside the towering geniuses of Chenda, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar and Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar,” he says
Jayaram still cherishes a dream. He said (as quoted in Manorama): “Like all Chenda artists, I too long to play at the Trissur Pooram, the mother of all Poorams. But it is up to them to invite me as a Chenda artiste.”
