Sounds of Onam: Keeping the Chenda beat alive in Chennai
The Sri Sastha Kshetra Vadya Sangam in Chennai provides free training in the traditional Chenda Melam percussion style to preserve Kerala's cultural heritage. Founded by Rajeev Kumar, the institution aims to make the art form accessible to all, regardless of background.
Why it matters
Community-led initiatives are vital for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and traditional performing arts in urban environments.
As Onam approaches, the thunderous rhythms of Chenda Melam evoke the sounds of Kerala’s temple festivals. In Chennai’s Villivakkam, Sri Sastha Kshetra Vadya Sangam at Ayyappan Kovil, has been keeping the tradition alive and accessible through free Chenda classes that attract learners across generations.
The institution was founded by Rajeev Kumar, whose association with the temple began in his childhood. His father, C.N. Sukumaran Guruswamy, founded the Villivakkam Ayyappan Temple. The idea for the institution emerged during preparations for the temple’s second Kumbhabhishekam in 2013, when Rajeev’s father expressed a desire to have an in-house Chenda troupe, as bringing teams from Kerala was expensive. Inspired by the idea, Rajeev decided to learn the Chenda. He travelled to Kerala to train under guru Devaraj Marar for two years.
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