About Us

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16 Glorious Years of Rhythm, Tradition & Excellence

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Founded in 2010, Kalavadhyam began its humble journey as Kalavadhyam Chenda Kalari, with a passionate vision to preserve, promote, and teach the rich traditional art form of Kerala the Chenda Melam.

From conducting our first classes with just four students in an open ground in Bengaluru, to performing historic arangettams and achieving prestigious milestones across Karnataka, our journey has been nothing short of a rhythmic revolution.

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Our Journey Through the Years

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2010 – Kalavadhyam was founded with a vision to preserve and promote Kerala's traditional temple art forms. The journey began with the promotion of Chenda classes in Bengaluru, laying the foundation for a vibrant artistic community.

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2011 – Our first regular Chenda classes commenced at Malleshpalya with four dedicated students. The growing interest led to the establishment of our second learning centre at Vidyaranyapura.

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2013 – Kalavadhyam partnered with Global Residential School to introduce Chenda training for 68 students through weekend sessions, marking a significant step towards institutional collaboration.

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2014 – A new training centre was inaugurated at RT Nagar, further expanding our reach and welcoming a larger community of aspiring artists.

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2015 – A landmark year in our journey. Our students presented their first Arangettam at the sacred Thiruvullakkavu Sri Dharmashastha Temple, Thrissur, under the guidance of the legendary Peruvanam Sankaranarayanan Marar, with Sri Peruvanam Kuttan Marar gracing the occasion as the Chief Guest.

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2016 – A new batch was launched at Ramamurthy Nagar, creating opportunities for more students to learn and carry forward the rich traditions of Kerala's percussion arts.

 

2017 – The Vidyaranyapura centre evolved into our second major branch in association with Kerala Samajam. The year also witnessed a historic achievement at HAL Ayyappan Temple, Bengaluru, where Kalavadhyam organised Karnataka's first-ever complete Panchari Melam Arangettam, featuring over 100 artists across two batches.

 

2019 – Our journey of expansion continued with the launch of a new batch at Mysore Road. Kalavadhyam artists made their debut at the prestigious Peruvanam Pooram. The same year, we created another milestone by presenting Karnataka's first multi-disciplinary Arangettam featuring Panchari Melam, Kombu Pattu, Kuzhal Pattu, and Edakka Sopana Sangeetham.

 

2022 – Another historic chapter was added as Kalavadhyam organised Karnataka's first Pandi Melam Arangettam, with Peruvanam Satheesan Marar as the Chief Guest. We also broadened our artistic offerings by introducing Bharatanatyam classes under the mentorship of Guru Smt. Divya Mani.

 

2023 – Our fourth training centre was established at Sarjapur Road with the enrolment of 18 students. Kalavadhyam also became Karnataka's first Chenda Academy to receive university affiliation from Sanchari Kala Parishad. During the same year, all Kalavadhyam artists came together to perform for the first time at the revered Kollur Mookambika Temple, marking another memorable milestone.

 

2024 – Continuing our tradition of pioneering achievements, Kalavadhyam organised the first-ever Ilathaalam Arangettam at the sacred Kollur Mookambika Temple.

 

2025 – Expanding our musical horizons, Kalavadhyam introduced its first Kurum Kuzhal batch, further strengthening our commitment to preserving Kerala's traditional temple art forms.

 

2026 – Kalavadhyam earned the distinguished honour of participating in the world-renowned Thrissur Pooram during the prestigious Thekkottirakkam ceremony. Our senior artists, Shri Kalavadhyam Rohith Villadam (Valamthala) and Shri Kalavadhyam Krishnakumar Edakkunni (Ilathaalam), proudly represented the institution on this iconic stage, adding yet another remarkable milestone to Kalavadhyam's legacy.

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Today & Beyond
 

With over 15 years of dedication, Kalavadhyam stands proud as one of the pioneering Chenda Melam institutions in Karnataka, shaping students into not just performers but torchbearers of Kerala’s cultural legacy.

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Whether it's Chenda, Edakka, Ilathaalam, Kombu, Kurum Kuzhal, Sopana Sangeetham, Bharatanatyam, or traditional temple arts — Kalavadhyam is committed to taking this timeless art to greater heights, one beat at a time.


Some Major Milestones

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Kalavadhyam Academy has consistently set benchmarks in the field of traditional Kerala art forms, becoming a pioneering institution in Bengaluru. Some of our most significant milestones include:

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• First Academy in Bengaluru to train students in the complete Panchari Melam, starting from Pathikaalam, and successfully conducting their Arangettam performances.
   

• First Academy in Bengaluru to organize a large-scale Arangettam featuring over 100 students and artists, showcasing the strength and unity of our performing community.
   

• Pioneers in Pandi Melam Training – Kalavadhyam is the only academy in Bengaluru to have trained students in Pandi Melam and conducted its Arangettam in Bengaluru.
   

• First Academy in Bengaluru whose students have performed in prestigious temple festivals including Peruvanam Pooram, Thrissur Pooram, Trippunithura Vrischikolsavam, Karuvanthala Bharanai, and Thaikkatussery Pooram, among others.
   

• Trailblazers in Women's Participation – Kalavadhyam is the first academy from Bengaluru to have its women artists perform in major Melams both in Kerala and Bengaluru.
   

• Historic Edakka & Sopana Sangeetham Arangettam – Kalavadhyam proudly hosted the first-ever Edakka and Sopana Sangeetham Arangettam by a female student from Bengaluru.
   

• University Affiliation – Kalavadhyam is the first and only academy in Bengaluru to receive university affiliation for its Chenda courses, adding academic value to traditional training.
   

• Unique Arangettam in Kollur Mookambika Temple – Kalavadhyam is the first academy in Bengaluru to train students in Ilathaalam and Kurum Kuzhal and organize their Arangettam at the sacred Kollur Mookambika Temple.
  
  
  In a duration of 15 years, Kalavadhyam Academy has trained over 800 students in Chenda under the guidance of gurunaadhan Shri Kalavadhyam Dheeraj Edat and 1000+ learners from Kalavadhyam Academy from various courses