A life devoted to Thimila

TRIPUNITHURA: The rhythmic life of Thimila maestro Padmabhooshan Kuzhoor Narayana Marar, who died on Thursday morning, began from the courtyard of Poomulli Mana.He was in his early teens when he got a golden chance to team up with the legendary  Maddalam artiste Venkichan Swami, who had brought many revolutionary changes in Maddalam performance, including the bringing down of the position of Maddalam from neck to the waist portion.In the courtyard of this Namboothiri Illam   the maestros of yesteryear had got freedom to do their artistic experiments under the strict vigil of celebrities like Poomulli Raman Namboothiri. Almost all classic art forms of Kerala like Kathakali, Melam and Panchavadyam were performed there and the connoisseurs of these art forms used to assemble there.Kuzhoor Narayana Marar was born in 1925, as the second son of Manikkamangalathu Kochupilla Kurup and Nedumparambathu Kunjipilla Amma, in a remote village, Kuzhoor, in Thrissur district.  It was nothing but the thorough schooling Marar had under the tutelage of Nayathodu Sankara Panicker and Perumbilly Kesava Marar that made him a great artist.Ironically the seven decades long rhythmic life of this unassuming percussionist turned to be an inseparable part of the history of Panchavadyam.  Narayana Marar started his eventful career in his teenage by playing Thimila along with the legendary Maddalam artist, Thiruvillwamala Venkichan Swami, who had mastred Panchavadyam along with the Thimila maestro, Annamanada Parameswara Marar.Attracted by the inimitable improvisation presented by celebrities like Annamanada Parameswara Marar, Kuzhoor Narayana Marar decided to master the percussion instrument, Thimila.  However, as a ritualistic duty of his family,  Marar was very keen to perform Chenda at his village shrine, Kuzhoor Subrahmanya Swami Temple.Narayana Marar with his elder brother Kuzhoor Kuttappa Marar and younger brother Kuzhoor Chandrasekhara Marar formed a magical trio, which was popularly known as Kuzhoor Brothers.  The maestro’s life is also very similar to that of his artistic stamp. “See, we are performing before the deities and while doing so I never think about my remuneration or accolades or anything else.  My mind will always be filled with the thoughts about the next creative concert to be offered”.That was Marar’s unique view on the art form as well as his life.