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Son of Melakalanidhi Peruvanam Appu Marar and Gouri Marassiar, M. Sankara Narayanan or Peruvanam Kuttan Marar was born on 25th November 1953 at Peruvanam in Thrissur district of Kerala. Being part of a family of chenda (traditional percussion instrument of Kerala) artists, it was no wonder that young Peruvanam Kuttan Marar grew up to become one of the greatest musicians of his time.
His tutelage began under his father Peruvanam Appu Marar, at the age of 10. Kumarapuram Appu Marar taught him thayambaka and kelikkottu in chenda. Sreenarayanapuram Appu Marar was his guru in melapadam and purappadu of Kathakali. He also mastered edakka at the sopanam of temples and as a participant during the panchavadyam ensembles.
Soon, with dedication and sincere efforts, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar mastered all types of melams: Chamba, chembada, anchadantha, adantha and druvam; besides the familiar panchari and pandi melams. He went on to become the melapramani (chief conductor of melams) for festivals at Guruvayoor, Peruvanam, Arattupuzha, Irinjalakkuda, Thripunithura, etc. Today, the name Peruvanam Kuttan Marar is synonymous with the development of rhythm music in Kerala. He now leads the rhythm ensembles in nearly 84 temple festivals and is the chief conductor for over 300 melams every year.
Each year hundreds of thousands of devotees visit the Thrissur Pooram to savour the rhythm of the Elanjithara Melam, undoubtedly the most magnificent traditional percussion ensemble in the world. For the last 12 years, Peruvanam has been the Pramani (chief) leading the group of 250 artists of various instruments like drums (chenda), pipe, cymbals and horns. With spellbinding technical perfection, sheer discipline and pure symphony of rhythms, the Elanjithara Melam has no parallel.
Endowed with national recognition on being the recipient of the Padma Shri in the year 2011 for his contributions in the field of art, Peruvanam Kuttan Marar has been a part of innumerous prestigious performances such as the Bharath Festival in the USSR (1987) representing Kerala; Republic day parades in New Delhi in 1986 and 1987; international film festivals, tourism festivals, Kerala Kalamandalam Jubilee Festival, Golden Jubilee Festival of Kerala Piravi, Bhasamaholsavam, Samskarikolsavam, Kochi-Muziris Biennale and many others.
