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Innovative traditionalist : Thrikkamburam Krishnankutty Marar.

Ramamangalam, a sleepy hamlet in the south-eastern part of Ernakulam District, is a landmark in the history of Kerala’s temple-music tradition. For it is here that legendary singer Shadkkala Govinda Marar was born and brought up. The musical lineage immortalised by Govinda Marar was continued by his musical heirs.

Yet by the late 20th century, there was a downfall in the cultural legacy of Ramamangalam. The last titan in that musical lineage, Thrikkamburam Krishnankutty Marar, nostalgically talks about the proud past of his homeland.

Thrikkamburam Marath is one of the four traditional families in Ramamangalam village that is well known for its involvement in different genres of traditional temple music such as Panchavadyam, Sopanasangeetam, Parishavadyam, Melam and Kalamezhuthu.

Veteran artistes Porunnila Govinda Marar and Vadakkedath Appu Marar began training Thrikkamburam in these musical genres when he was all of seven. He also passed the S.S.L.C Examination, quite an unusual practice among the artistes in those days.

Armed with a hoary heritage, Marar joined the Panchavadyams in the temples of Central Kerala as a thimila player. In the mid Sixties, stalwarts ruled each genre of indigenous percussion music. Along with legends like Annamanada Peethambara Marar, Achuta Marar and Parameswara Marar, Thrikkamburam managed to carve a niche of his own.

“It was T.C. Balakrishna Menon, then president of Paramekkavu Devaswom, who prefixed Thrikkamburam to my name. This made all the difference. Afterwards, I haven’t looked back,” remembers Krishnankutty Marar.

Tonal purity, vigour and an unfailing grip over rhythms and tempos are his striking qualities as a thimila player. He has tremendous respect for and understanding of the traditional framework of the Panchavadyam. Yet, this does not act as a constraint in his creative interpretation of ennams he plays in each of the tempos of the Panchavadyam.

Marar is committed to a reinvention of the tradition to keep it in tune with the changing time. When he changed Thimila Edachil, the concluding segment of the Panchavadyam, from Eka talam to Panchari, there was a hue and cry among the orthodoxy. But Marar ignored their cries of protest.

He is one of the few surviving maestros who can highlight the grace and depth of Sopanasangeetam. The density of his voice and his accent on the literature of the tyanis and the padams are enviable. Weighty is his rendition of the brief akaara aalapana of each raga.

He is well conversant with the talas exclusive to Kerala such as Marmam, Kundanachi and Lakshmi and often engages in heated debates with advocates and practitioners of Carnatic Music in establishing the distinctions of indigenous ragas such as Puraneera, Gaulipandu, Samanthamalahari and the like.

His music, both vocal and instrumental, is charged with an earthy vitality than a sophisticated melody. This accounts for his identity as an indigenous vocalist. Marar sticks to the Ramamangalam Baani and its ethnic elegance. Kudukka Veena, his exclusive contribution to Kerala music, underlines his artistic vision.

Novelty in tradition has been his enduring slogan. Talking about innovations like Panchari Panchavadyam and slowest adanthakkooru in Panchavadyam and Thayambaka, he once said: “Innovations and imaginations should go on. But for each and every addition, the performer should have convincing reasons. In other words, he must know what he does. He should never bluff.”

The Kerala Government’s recently announced Pallavoor Puraskaram has gone into the right hands.

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