At 58, Palakkad's Jaya Lilly returns to thayambaka after 36-year break

Pattambi: After 36 long years, the rhythm of the chenda has once again returned to the hands of Jaya Lilly and with it, the joy of a passion she had tucked away since her youth.

The 58-year-old woman made her return to the world of percussion with a thayambaka (chenda ensemble) performance at the Kodumunda Deshavilakku festival. By the end of her recital, the entire crowd seemed united in one request: `Please continue playing it.'

It was in connection with the Methrikkovil Deshavilakku festival at Kodumunda that Jaya Lilly of Keezhayur Madathil Mana presented the thayambaka. Having learned the percussion art at a young age and won thayambaka competitions at the state level as a student in Classes 9 and 10, Jaya Lilly has now fulfilled her long-held wish to play the percussion instrument once again at the age of 58.

Supported by her husband Kodumunda Thoppil Krishnadas, himself a chenda artist, along with the consent of her children Induja and Lijitha and the encouragement of friends, she decided to perform Thayambaka at the Kodumunda Deshavilakku in Pattambi.

Having started her performance by playing the valanthala (the right end of the instrument), she concluded the Thayambaka with the kalasham about one hour and fifteen minutes later. The audience responded with thunderous applause and repeated pleas for her to continue her journey in percussion. Moved by their warmth, Jaya Lilly says she is determined to keep playing the chenda more actively.

Jaya Lilly, daughter of Chalissery Kunnathu Thirumulpad and Janaki Kovilamma of Keezhayur Madathil Mana, learned chenda during her school days under Chelath Krishnanan Kutty of Arangotukara.