Peruvanam Satheesan is leading the Marai Panchari Melam group. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Peruvanam Satheesan Marar was in his early twenties when the percussionist got a junior position at the annual temple festival season in Kerala – Thripunithura Ulasavam. Getting set up at one end of the front line of chenda drums in a four-hour group was still an achievement. Because, this festival has been the royal harbinger of summer cultural celebrations across the state. Later this month, when the eight-day event begins, Satheesan will lead some rhythmic concerts at the same venue near Kochi.

This has been the routine since the beginning of this decade. Only, this time, Satheesan is fresh after his 60th birthday celebrations, which saw an impressive gathering at his Peruvanam village near Thrissur. Connoisseurs and fans rave about the lyricism that graces his melams featuring over 120 artists – be it the Panchari variety set in multiples of six beats or the more aggressive Pandi that tapers down to cycles of seven.

Peruvanam Satheesan Marar during a demonstration. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Like most members of the temple-affiliated Marar community in the 1960s, Satheesan does not remember his early involvement with Melam. “We boys usually assist the elders in the rituals performed in the neighborhood temple; I started doing this at the age of about five,” says the virtuoso, known for his legendary father Chakkamkulam Appu Marar’s distinctive taal. The formal opening took place when 15-year-old Satheesan performed a 40-minute solo Tayambaka on Chenda. He was at the famous Thiruvallakavu, where his brothers provided rhythmic accompaniment on the bass drum and cymbals.

The principal guru of Satisana is the theorist Kumarapuram Appu Marar. “Along with deep knowledge, he also had immense patience. He was so kind that we sometimes felt that if he had been a strict disciplinarian we would have learned faster,” he says with a smile, also acknowledging his training under his uncle Peruvanam Appu Marar. Once Satheesan became strong in the fundamentals, his father taught him the essence of the challenging 14-beat Adanthakuru, which falls in the middle of the Tayambaka. Later the young player took his advanced education from Pallavur Kunjukutta Marar while staying at the exponent’s house near Palakkad.

The spontaneity and imagination he developed as a Tayambaka artiste helped Satheesan gain expertise in Melam, which, however, leaves no room for improvisation. “You need to prepare yourself to imagine a rhythmic performance of at least three hours,” says Satheesan. “Of the two common melams, pandi demands more focus from the anchor. There is more severity in Panchari, but it naturally guarantees smooth progress.

Satheesan sometimes displays his talent in the more melodious Panchavadyam as well. The orchestra consisted of over 60 people playing five types of instruments, led by Satheesan with a thin timila that produces resonating taps and rolls. The hourglass-shaped Edakka is another important presence in the symphony. Despite not having any formal training, Satheesan also plays it. Furthermore, using the edakka as a drum, he sings sopanam music. “It is not that I have learned it systematically, but I can play it,” he says, rendering the famous Chandana Charachita Ashtapadi from Geeta Govidam in Pantuvarali raga.

Talking about the qualities a melam artiste should have, Satheesan, whose sons Yadu and Mohan are promising percussionists, says, “Physical fitness is extremely important. Also, learn to be a team player. Young people have lots of opportunities; The old commanding methods don’t work anymore.”