A Chenda Melam means percussion using Chenda. The Chenda is used as a percussion instrument for almost all Kerala art forms. Chenda melam is the most popular and with a history of more than 300 years. There are mainly 7 types of Chenda Melams. Panchari melam (പഞ്ചാരി മേളം), Champa (ചമ്പ), Chempada (ചെമ്പട), Adantha (അടന്ത), Anchadatha (അഞ്ചടന്ത), Druvam (ധ്രുവം) and Pandy melam (പാണ്ടി മേളം). First 6 Melams are called Chempada Melangal (ചെമ്പട മേളങ്ങൾ). Two more Melams are there in Kerala, Navam (നവം) and Kalpam (കൽപ്പം). ↩

Kerela Kalamandalam (കേരള കലാമണ്ഢലം) is a learning centre of Art and Culture. It is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the Southern states of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala (കേരള). It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy (ചെറുതുരുത്തി) in Thrissur (ത്രിശ്ശൂർ) District on the banks of the Bharathapuzha (ഭാരതപ്പുഴ) river. Alumni of Kalmandalam is addressed with Kalamandalam as prefix as a honour. ↩

The Chenda (Malayalam: ചെണ്ട, [tʃeɳʈa]) is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala. It is a cylindrical wooden drum, and has a length of two feet and a diameter of one foot. Both ends are covered (usually with animal’s skin) with the Chenda Vattam (ചെണ്ടവട്ടം) . The animal skin is usually of a cow (Heifer), in a traditional Chenda other skins are not used (skin of bull, ox etc. are not used), to have a quality sound the skin from the abdominal part of the cow is taken. The Chenda is suspended from the drummers neck so that it hangs vertically. Though both sides can be used for playing, only one is actually beaten. Using two sticks, the drummer strikes the upper parchment. ↩

Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces gives a distinct chime. ↩

The kuzhal is a traditional double reed wind instrument. It has a very shrill and penetrating tone. ↩

Kombu is a wind instrument like a long horn. ↩