In the city’s hinterland, in Kanamally, land and water, paddy and fish, sea and coast, boat and fishing nets intertwine in a striking vernacular landscape. Notes floating from a western band set – trumpet, clarinet, French horn, kettle drum – rise in magical incongruity. The landscape and the music are an East-West mix. The players are local men practising, gearing up for the Kanamally Brass Band Festival scheduled for March 18.

Attributing this musical lineage to the arrival of the Portuguese on this coast four centuries ago is not misplaced. But another figure instrumental in the perpetuation of this culture deserves to be remembered- Rev. Fr. John Edakat, headmaster of St. Sebastian’s High School in Palluruthy.

Little known outside the ecclesiastical circle, the school and some musicians, and less spoken about these days, when the brass band culture is witnessing a revival, Fr. Edakat deserves more than just being a name in the list of headmasters of the school.

Cochin of the late 1920s, when Fr. John Edakat formed the Cochin Scout Band, would have been a little town where the Maharajah, the English officials, the missionaries and a rising freedom struggle would have been the prime subjects of conversation. Scattered reminiscences of the time speak of a sedate British Cochin and a feeble native populace. The port and the bridges were yet to be built and roads were mere dust tracks. Mention of postal runners at the time and of workers groups at Mattancherry trading hub are some hazy images. Missionaries were in the process of setting up educational institutes and a dire need to address the unfocussed youth was the need of the hour. Internationally the Scout and Guide associations were gaining reputation and Fr. John Edakat began by forming a Scout Association in the school.

Fr. Raphy Pariathussery in-charge of archives of Cochin Diocese says, “That time, in the 1920s, the Boys and Girls Scout Association was the only well known organisation of its kind. Even though it was an association of the laity it was headed by a priest. It was a prestigious association and used to attract the youth to the church. So Fr. Edakat formed a scout group and used music to attract the young.”

Musician Godwin Figueredo’s father Leon was a member of the band. As a young boy Godwin recalls being mesmerised by its pounding music. The story goes, says Godwin, that Fr. Edakat, being a notable musician himself, went to Paris and brought 25-odd brass instruments. “Shiny, golden, big instruments,” in his father’s words. There were clarinets, trumpets, oboes, drums, bassoons, euphonium, saxophones, French horn, kettel drums and such. “It created a sensation at the time; the Scout Band became the most sought after band because of its music and these shiny instruments,” says Godwin from handed down narratives.

Among the most notable performances of the band is playing on the first day of the Athachamayam procession in Tripunithura at the invitation of the Cochin Maharaja. Fr. Raphy says that a mention of the band playing at the funeral procession of Lawrence Pluiyanath, a Vicar Forane, whose canonisation process is on, is there in the archives.

Godwin believes that the legacy of jazz and western bands in Kochi can be traced to the Scout Band. He says that Paris then and even now remains the centre for reed instruments and reasons as to why Fr. Edakat would have chosen to go there. How did he go to Paris? The challenges he faced? How the instruments were shipped? How was it funded are all questions that remain shrouded in mist.

Eighty-three-year-old Lily Liverio, a retired primary school teacher remembers listening to the band. She says that though Fr. Edakat passed away in 1931 the band continued to play sometime till the late 60s, after which it fizzled out. “They used to wear a khaki uniform, I remember vaguely,” she says

Peter Edakat , the great grandson of John Edakat’s brother, a retired official from Hindustan Lever living in Kumbalingi North has a facsimile picture of the priest. Behind the picture are details of his studies in Tiruchirappalli and Mangalore and his distinctive works as vicar and as a Bench Magistrate in Mattanchery. Except for scanty information like this, the family does not have other information about his travel to Paris and the formation of the band. At the church near the family house lies his tomb shared with other family members. The few remaining old timers in the village remember the Scout band playing at the popular St John the Baptist feast and playing solemn music at important funerals.

Godwin, one of the few teachers of the Gregorian chant and Latin music in Kerala, says that the polyphonic choir in St Sebastian church too was started by Fr. Edakat. He lists out the names of a few musicians who began with the Scout Band like - P.G. Joseph, band master; George Konnully, tenor sax player, Leon Figueiredo, Euphonium player, Philip Fernadez with the cornet, Joseph Luiz playing the Tuba, Louis Konnully on the sliding Trombone and Lawrence Konnully at the French horn.

Godwin says that the Scout band initially would have played mainly Latin and western tunes but over the years the accent has changed.

Benny Pariathussery (Bernard Shaw), in-charge of the Kanamally Band Festival attributes much to Fr. Edakat for the brass band culture of today. But he says that after the Cochin Scout Band was dissolved a different type of teaching music, the ‘gurukulam’ system, came about. Here the teacher lived in the student’s home for months and taught music. His father, P.O. Varghese, a renowned band master invited classical music teachers like Kolaram Devassy from Cherathala, Kochuvarkey from Alappuzha and Chembakulam Mathew to teach music. The new form of music, a combination of Carnatic and western classical is what is popular today, a tribute to the efforts of Fr. John Edakat and the many gurus that came thereafter.