[tgs]

Sankara Warrier: - Some lives are like that. He is brave struggling against poverty and neglect. His rhythmic notes on the maddalam are breathtaking, in their magnificent conception. The sweet notes that emerge from it are unsurpassed. He is Sankara Warrier the finest and the rarest figure that has graced Melapaddam and Panchavadyam. He was in the capital city, last week to receive the honors conferred by Drisyavedi.

“I chose to learn maddalam to earn a livelihood. I was doing menial jobs in hotels, temples, and in markets. I have even served as a cleaner of automobiles. I worked as a helper at the residence Kottayathu PKS Varma, a disciple of Chembai. He plays more or less all instruments, and was an excellent vocalist. I could not learn anything from him, but could familiarize with musical notes” he said.


While serving a temple in Karnataka, I received a packet of jaggery wrapped in a Malayalam news paper. Thrilled to see a Malayalam paper after a long time I read it. That was a notification from Kerala Kalamandalam inviting aspiring students. Our family was too poor to afford. Still I applied. I was informed when short listed. I never knew that. I was at that time employed in a different place. My illiterate mother had kept the communication safely. It reached my hand on the eve of the joining date. How to go? Who will bear the expense? I burrowed money from so many people to reach Kalamanadalam” recollected Sankara Warrier.
He managed to learn maddalam with devotion and today maddalam and Sankara Warrier has become synonyms. Many called him Maddala Warrier. Mild-mannered Sankara Warrier, becomes agitated when he talks about maddalam and the way the instrument and the artiste are sidelined.

Sanakra warrier was of the opinion that initially only maddalam was the accompanying instrument for kathakali. It was Kottayathu THAMPURAN who introduced Chenda in Kathakali.
“Now in Kathakali, the instruments used are Chenda, Maddalam, Chengila, and elathalam. Maddalam is permitted to accompany only sthree veshams. The attitude is “maddalam can join the back ground if desired.” Amidst the loudness of other instruments mainly chenda, the soft notes of maddalam remains unheard” he explained.

“It was Appukkuti Poduval Asan and Kalamanadalam Nambeesan Asan who trained me in maddalam. The latter punishes severely. But according to me the teacher should study the student first, while taking lessons. I am against punishments.”


“Arangettam of students were arranged. Parents reached the venue to witness their children’s’ performances. But no body came from my house. With five rupees I could manage so many things. But I was too poor. On the eve of arangetram, I had fever. Nambeesan provided the timely help” he reminisced.

Sankara Warrier is working at FACT since 1981. He was recently presented Veera srungala, by the Kochi Maharaja.