Panchavadyam - the melody of five

Panchavadyam is so much a part of the Kerala culture that it can be said that it is the heart beat of Kerala. It is an integral part of most temple festivals and is often part of non-religious celebrations as well. The five instruments that go into it are Thimila, Maddalam, Edakka, Ilathalam and Kombu. The ensemble is worked up to a frenzied fast tempo.

The present day form of this orchestra is the creation of the highly talented Maddalam artists Venkichan Swamy and his pupil Madhava Warrier with lesser contributions from Thimila and Edakka experts.