Thrissur: Melam maestro Padmasree Peruvanam Kuttan Marar, 65, did not disappoint thousands of his fans though he fell ill prior to the famed Elanjithara Melam at the Pooram venue here on Monday.
Braving fever and fatigue, he led the most sought-after percussion show by coming back from the hospital where he was admitted earlier.
Kuttan Marar, who has taken part in the Elanjithara Melam at the Vadakkumnathan temple for over 40 years during Pooram, had been leading the melam continuously for the past 20 years.
Causing anxiety to the melam buffs, he showed uneasiness while leading the chembada melam in front of Paramekkavu temple at 12.45 p.m.
After handing over charge of the melam to his senior colleague, Kuttan Marar withdrew from the scene and was rushed to Aswini
Hospital. Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar and collector T.V. Anupama visited him at the hospital soon.
Marar, who believes that the temple percussion is to invoke and please the deities, was keen to lead the Elanjithara Melam regardless of the fever and the fatigue caused by the soaring temperature.
Anxiety gave way to jubilation when he reached the Vadakkumnathan temple a few minutes before the Elanjithara Melam began at 2.30 p.m.
Marar, who seemed tired at the beginning of the melam, played on his chenda by standing on the toes during the ‘kottikalasam’(ending) of the melam.
His fans and Pooram organisers rushed to him and hugged him soon after he wound up the melam, with some planting kisses on his forehead.
“I consider every opportunity to perform at Elanjithara as a blessing and I can’t miss it,” Marar said.
