Students of St. Joseph’s Boys’ HSS, Kozhikode, who participated in the Chenda Melam competition at the 64th Kerala State School Arts Festival
| Photo Credit: K.K.Najeeb
Thrissur, for most people, means the land of Poorams. While frenzied beats and notes make up the heartbeat of the city during Pooram, one would naturally expect a huge turnout when percussion ensembles such as chenda elam take centre stage. But on Thursday (January 15, 2026) morning, when frenetic beats hung thick in the air as students enthusiastically played the notes of ‘Panchari melam’ and the complex rhythmic structures of ‘Adantha melam’, the turnout wasn’t that big at the Holy Family CGHSS, for the Chenda Melam (HSS) competition.
K.V. Manoj, principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Vaduvanchal, says his team that came from Wayanad had high expectations. “Especially since percussion art is celebrated here,” he said. “We expected more people to come and encourage the young performers. If the event was held at the main venue, maybe more people would have come out to watch.”
M.I. Haseena, a teacher who arrived all the way from Palakkad with her family to just attend the festival, had a different take. “While we are excited to watch these percussion performances, the people of Thrissur may opt for something else, the sheer reason being familiarity,” she said. “They are used to the art form, so they might choose to watch other arts.”
The low turnout, however, could not quieten the sense of excitement, as the rhythmic beats infused into the crowd. There was a three-year-old Manav Krishna, who found two twig sticks and enthusiastically started tapping in the air, trying to coordinate with the beats onstage.
In the backstage, his brother S. Kailas was getting ready with his team to perform. As the notes onstage reached a crescendo, the rival team members backstage also swayed, some gently tapping on their chenda, coordinating with the notes onstage.
Such is the power of the percussion, everyone started beating with one pulsating rhythm. Stay there for 20 minutes, let the notes soak you in, you could become a chenda melam convert.
Seventeen- year-old twins K.V. Anjitha and K.V. Anjana from GHSS Vaduvanchal, Wayanad echo in unison that they have always wanted to play the Chenda. “You don’t see a lot of women playing the instrument,” said Anjana who played the chenda along with her school team at the fest. I have always wanted to learn this. It is exhilarating.”
While the notes of Panchari melam and Pandi melam pulsed through, some students even attempted the risky and difficult melams such as Adantha melam.
Sreehari Vinod of St. Joseph’s BHSS, Kozhikode, said that they started training from June. “We need to get the coordination and rhythm right,” he said. “So it takes a lot of practice. And we were attempting the much difficult Adantha melam. We wanted to stay clear of the usual melam and try something different.”
The modest crowd was entertained by the spirited performance on a stage that produced plenty of palpable energy. And every participant
Published – January 15, 2026 06:45 pm IST
