Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Encyclopedia
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed India
n percussionist of the Kerala
ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali
.
district of the Malabar region, to late Krishna Warrier and Madhavi Warrasiar. Currently he lives with his wife Valsala S Warrier in Eloor near Kochi where he worked for 18 years as a maddalam teacher in FACT
Kathakali School. The couple has two sons, Arun Deva Warrier and Kiran Deva Warrier. Arun is also a young maestro in maddalam.
and Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambeesan. After his four-year course. Warrier joined Kalamandalam as first grade maddalam teacher. In 1981, FACT (Fertilizers and Chemicals of Travancore Ltd) invited Warrier to join its Kathakali school as a maddalam teacher. Warrier worked in FACT Kathakali School for 18 years along with late masters such as Vaikom Karunakaran Nair, Kalamandalam Kesavan (chenda
), Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
and Kalamandalam Hyderali
(Kathakali music). He retired in 2005. He has also gained name as a maddalam percussionist in the classical ensemble called Panchavadyam
.
In 2006, he was honoured with a Veera Shrinkhala by the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi at Tripunithura. In 2009, Warrier was honoured by musician K J Yesudas in a function held at the UAE, by a Dubai
-based cultural organisation called Thiranottam.
Shri Sankara Warrier was honoured with Best Maddalam Artist Award in 2011 by Kerala Kalamandalam.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n percussionist of the Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
.
Personal life
Sankara Warrier was born on June 1, 1952, at Thillenkery, a small village in KannurKannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
district of the Malabar region, to late Krishna Warrier and Madhavi Warrasiar. Currently he lives with his wife Valsala S Warrier in Eloor near Kochi where he worked for 18 years as a maddalam teacher in FACT
FACT
FACT may refer to:*Federation Against Copyright Theft*Federation of American Consumers and Travelers*FACT , a protein factor affecting eukaryotic cells...
Kathakali School. The couple has two sons, Arun Deva Warrier and Kiran Deva Warrier. Arun is also a young maestro in maddalam.
Career
Sankara Warrier joined Kalamandalam at the age of 15 and was trained in maddalam under masters like Kalamandalam Appukutty PoduvalKalamandalam Appukutty Poduval
Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval was a maddalam maestro who rose to prominence by his aesthetically pleasing taps on the instrument—a vital percussion accompaniment for Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
and Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambeesan. After his four-year course. Warrier joined Kalamandalam as first grade maddalam teacher. In 1981, FACT (Fertilizers and Chemicals of Travancore Ltd) invited Warrier to join its Kathakali school as a maddalam teacher. Warrier worked in FACT Kathakali School for 18 years along with late masters such as Vaikom Karunakaran Nair, Kalamandalam Kesavan (chenda
Chenda
The Chenda is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala, and Tulu Nadu of Karnataka State in India. In Tulu Nadu it is known as Chande....
), Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri
Kalamandalam Sankaran Embranthiri was one of the most popular Kathakali musicians, credited with initiating a new wave in the rendition of songs for the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
and Kalamandalam Hyderali
Kalamandalam Hyderali
Kalamandalam Hyderali was one of the best Kathakali singers of his generation, and the first non-Hindu artiste to make a mark in the four-century-old classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India....
(Kathakali music). He retired in 2005. He has also gained name as a maddalam percussionist in the classical ensemble called Panchavadyam
Panchavadyam
Panchavadyam, literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four -- timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka -- belong to the percussion category, while the fifth one, kombu, is a wind instrument.Much like any...
.
Literature in Maddalam
Sankara Warrier has written a pioneering book titled “Maddalam Enna Mangalavadyam”, published in 2003 with the help of his alma mater.Awards and honours
Sankara Warrier has been honoured by several Kathakali clubs and cultural organisations.Once at Delhi by watching his performance, the then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher embraced him and said in wonder "your fingers fluttered like butterfly wings".In 2006, he was honoured with a Veera Shrinkhala by the Maharaja of erstwhile Kochi at Tripunithura. In 2009, Warrier was honoured by musician K J Yesudas in a function held at the UAE, by a Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
-based cultural organisation called Thiranottam.
Shri Sankara Warrier was honoured with Best Maddalam Artist Award in 2011 by Kerala Kalamandalam.
See also
- Maddalam
- KathakaliKathakaliKathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
- Kalamandalam Appukutty PoduvalKalamandalam Appukutty PoduvalKalamandalam Appukutty Poduval was a maddalam maestro who rose to prominence by his aesthetically pleasing taps on the instrument—a vital percussion accompaniment for Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
- Maddalam and Chenda KeliMaddalam and Chenda Keli-Keli:Keli is a ritualistic south Indian percussion concert involving two Kerala drums called the chenda and the maddalam besides the ethnic cymbal known as ilathalam and chengila , which typically lasts for some 20 minutes got a pyramid structure. It is usually staged in the night in temple...