Kuzhur Narayana Marar was an Indian musician, considered to be one of the masters of Panchavadyam. He was awarded Padmabhushan by Government of India for his contributions to the propagation of Panchavadyam in 2010. He is the first Panchavadyam exponent to receive Padma bhushan award. He was born on 25 May 1925 in Kuzhur, Thrissur, Kerala, India. He started learning Panchavadyam at the early age of five under the tutelage of his father. Later he learned Keli from Eravipurath Appu Marar, Thimila from Perumpilli Kesava Marar and Thayambaka from Manikyamangalam Narayana Marar. Having mastered percussion instruments like the thimila and the chenda from gurus Puzhakkarapilly Rama Marar and Manikkamangalam Narayana Kurup, he along with his brothers, Kuzhur Kuttappa Marar and Chandran Marar, formed a percussion trio that delighted Panchavadyam connoisseurs for decades. Narayana Marars debut as a thimila player at the Thrissur Pooram festival from the Paramekkavu side was in 1944 at the young age of 19. Kerala Kalamandalam honoured the master percussionist in 1990. In 2005, Kuzhur Narayana Marar won the Pallavur Appu Marar award. In 2010 he took part in a Ã??double thayambakaÃ?? recital with Kalloor Ramankutty Marar. Narayan Marar died at the age of 91 on 11 August 2011.