Panchavadyam is a Keralan orchestra, an inevitable part of grand temple festivals. It is comprised of Thimila, Maddalam, Edakka, Ilathalam (Cymbals) and Kombu.

This musical ensemble is characterised by a pyramid rhythmic structure, the ever increasing tempo, and the proportionally decreasing number of beats in cycles.

Its present form was composed in the 1930s by the Maddalam artists Venkichan Swami Bhagavatar and Madhava Warrier.