KANNIYAKUMARI: The financial and social plights of the traditional artistes devoted to playing "chenda melam", the cylindrical percussion instrument that brings loudness and vibrancy to every Kerala festival, many a time fade away as imperceptible beats. Getting a grasp on the ghost notes often overlooked by society, a 27-year-old civil engineer from Kanniyakumari district has been making strides in recording the struggles of the traditional artistes, beat by beat, in text and through creating discourses among literary circles.
A chenda melam musician himself, S Saju, a native of Chenkuzhi in Manavalakurichi, Kanniyakumari district, authored a book titled "Kottadikaran," chronicling the distress, pain and the discrimination faced by the percussionists. The reprint of the book, originally published in 2023, was released recently. Chenda melam musicians should be treated with respect similar to other stage musicians, said Saju, a point often raised by him during the literary discourses, citing instances of the traditional artistes being humiliated during events and festivals. He noted that the chenda melam players performed the folk music bare-chested out of respect for the art.
In his literary work, Saju recorded that several of the artistes continue to struggle for basic needs. He said many of them were not being provided with proper food and accommodation at the events as well. Their financial struggles are exacerbated by middlemen who allegedly deprive the artistes of the money due to them for their work, he said. G V Suneesh, a chenda melam musician, said Saju's book plays a vital role in spreading the word about their hardships and consistently voicing their demands.
Speaking to TNIE, Saju said that, though being interested since the age of 12, he professionally learnt the instrument during the pandemic by Kannan, a chenda melam musician from Thiruvananathapuram. Besides working as an engineer, Saju plays with his local troupe in events across Kanniyakumari and nearby districts, for which he receives around Rs 1,000 per event. "During non-season, I get to perform at around five events, which doubles during the festival season such as April and May," he said.
Fluent in three languages, Saju has also written two poetry collections -- "Thumithangal" and Neerarunthum Nathi" -- and a book on folk deities "Attumadan Thamburan: History and Kathaipadal", all the books written in Tamil. He completed his undergraduation in civil engineering from St Xavier's Catholic College of Engineering in Nagercoil.