Thrippekulam Achutha Marar

Thrippekulam Achutha Marar (also spelled as Trippekkulam) is an Indian percussionist from Kerala. He was an exponent in Indian percussion instruments like Chenda, Edakka, Thavil and Timila. He received many awards and honors including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from Sangeet Natak Akademi, Government of India, Pallavur Puraskaram by the Government of Kerala and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award from Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Government of Kerala.

Biography Trippekulam Achutha Marar was born in September 26, 1921, near the Ammathiruvadi Temple in Urakam in present-day Thrissur district of Kerala, to Trippekulam Marath Pappamarasyaar and Sitharaman Embranthiri.

Achutha Marar had never learned the Chenda that made him famous, from a master. As a member of an artist family that had been employed in the temple in his native Urakam for generations, he had been introduced to the Sopana Sangeetham singing, and instruments like Edakka, Chenda, ilatalam and the chengila since he was a child. He would play it for ceremonial functions and for the 'Kottipadi Seva', the traditional way of worship in which the performer sings kirtans while playing instrument. Govinda Marar was often selected as the 'Mela Pramani' (master performer and leader of the percussion team) of the 'Chenda melams' (group performance in which people play Chendas and other percussion instruments) in nearby temple festivals. When he was only in his mid-twenties, he was appointed as the melam leader for the Arattupuzha Pooram festival.

Career Marar got into playing the Chenda and Edakka at a very young age. He was known to produce euphonious notes of the flute on his Edakka. He also received the Melacharya Puraskaram from Kerala Kalamandalam, Pallavur Puraskaram by the Government of Kerala, the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award from Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Government of Kerala, and the first ever Vadhyamithra Puraskaaram. and Pindiyath Chandran Nair received the award in 2024.