Mappila Songs
Encyclopedia
Mappila Paattu or Mappila Song is a folklore
Muslim
song genre rendered to lyrics in colloquial Mappila dialect of Malayalam
laced with Arabic, by the Mappilas of Malabar. Mappila songs have a distinct cultural identity, while at the same time, remain closely linked to the cultural practices of Kerala. The songs often used words from Persian, Urdu, Tamil, Hindi apart from Arabic and Malayalam, but the grammatical syntax was always based on Malayalam. They deal with themes such as religion, love, satire and heroism, and are often sung at occasions of birth, marriage and death. Mappila Paattu form an integral part of the heritage of Malayalam literature today and is regarded by some as the most popular branch of Malayalam literature, enjoyed by all communities in Kerala
.
) . Most of these songs narrate "superhuman" deeds of these saints. The songs became popular in an era when Sufism
gained a strong foothold amongst the Mappila
s. Each Mala often corresponded to the leader of a Sufi order called Thareeqath, who was abundantly showered praises in the poetry, often well-exceeding the limits of human capabilities. Popular among these are the Muhyidheen
Mala, the Rifai mala, the Shaduli
Mala, the Ajmeer
Mala, and the Nafeesath mala. Each of these corresponded to their respective Sufi orders while the last is about Nafeesathul Misriyya, a woman Sufi saint of Egypt more commonly known as Sayyida Nafeesa.
of Calicut in the sixteenth century and is considered as the author of the earliest dated work in Mappilappattu literature. His Muhyiddeen Mala is composed in the Arabi-Malayalam script in a mixture of Arabic, Malayalam and Tamil languages. 43% of the words used in it are from Arabic language, while another 25-30 percent show an influence of Tamil vocabulary. It deals with the life of Abdul Qadir Jilani, the famous Sufi saint of Baghdad
.The book was held in high religious esteem by the Mappilas till the 20th century. Qadi Muhammad also authored the Fath-Al Mubeen, an Arabic poetic composition narrating the "perfect victory" of the combined native forces of the Zamorin, the Kunhali Marakkars and the Kolathiri
against the Portuguese invaders at the Battle of Chaliyam in 1571. He also authored almost 50 other works in Arabic.
The seventeenth century also witnessed the composition of other popular works in the Malappattu genre, namely the Rifai Mala (1623) by Ahammadul Kabeer, Uswath Mala (1628) and Valiya Naseehath Mala (1674) by Manantakath Kunhikoya Thangal.
Kissa. Songs like the kappappattu and Safalamaala by Shujayi Moidu Musaliyarconveyed ideological messages to the community in the era of post-Portuguese years when the identity and existence of the Mappilas were in a shattered state.
Kunhayan Musaliyar
Kunhayan Musaliyar was a courtier in the Zamorin's court in the early 18th century. He authored the popular works titled Nool Mala or Nool Mad'h (1721 A.D.) and Kappappattu. While the former was a devotional work of 666 lines composed in 16 different ishalukal (tunes) , the latter consisted of 600 lines composed in a single tune. Narrating with wit and humour, the voyage of the human body through the journey of life is portrayed here as a vessel in the ocean voyaging through the seas. The Kappa Pattu remained hugely popular for centuries, next only to the Muhyiddeen Mala.
Umar Qadi
Veliyankode Umar Qadi, (1757-1852) was a scholar, poet and freedom fighter from Veliyankode
, near Ponnani
, well known for his tax non-cooperation movement against the British rule in the Malabar. He composed songs of various subjects, ranging from the Cheraman Perumal
to Arabic grammar. Other poems of his criticized the wrongdoings of members of his own community. He also wrote many poems in Arabic.
landlords. Most of the songs of the era fall under the Padappattu ( battle songs) genre.
The songs of the Padapattu genre can be classified into four different types:
The common feature of all these songs were their pattern of narration of the bravery of the heroes depicted.
While the battle songs roused the feelings of the community against the authorities, this era also witnessed the popularization of romantic ballads like Moyinkutty Vaidyar's Badarul Muneer Husnul Jamal and Chettuvayi Pareekkutty's Soubhagya Sundari. One of the notable aspects of both these works were the age of the authors at the time of the composition; Vaidyar was said to have been 17 or (by some reports) 20 at the time and so was Pareekkutty.
(1857-1891), often referred to as Mahakavi (great poet) is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic Mappila poets. Born into an Ayurvedic family in 1857 at Kondotti in Malappuram
district, he was well versed in Sanskrit and Arabic. At a very young age of seventeen, he composed the romantic epic Badarul Munir - Husnul Jamal (1872) .
His later works were on totally different themes that were essentially war songs in nature. The Badar Padappattu and Malappuram Padappatt are the most popular songs of this genre. Shabvathul Badarul Kubra(1875) , more popularly known as the Badar Padappattu is considered one of the finest compositions of Mappilappattu . It narrates the tale of the Battle of Badr
by Prophet Muhammed and his companions. The Malappuram Padappattu (1883), also known as the Madhinidhi Mala describes the undercurrents of peasant life and struggles in Malappuram
in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The songs of Moyinkutty Vaidyar are distinguished by their depth of imagination, the beauty of the metaphors used, the creativity comparisons involved and the variety of their ishals (tunes/modes).
was a popular poet who composed short songs in Arabi-Malayalam on topics of common interest, often attacking social evils. His simple lyrics on ordinary life of the Mappilas defied the traditional patterns of Mappilappattu thus giving him the name " The Kunchan Nambiar of Mappilappattu". In Vellappokka Maala, he describes a heavy flood that affected all throughout the Malabar, Mysore and Travancore. The sufferings of common men in the flood are depicted beautifully using only ordinary Malayalam vocabulary.
The Pulikkotil Hyder Smaraka Puraskaram, instituted by the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Committee and given to personalities who have contributed to the art of Mappilappattu is named after him. The foundation for a memorial for the poet was laid in his hometown Wandoor
by former Chief Minister of Kerala
C.H. Mohammed Koya
in April 1979, but the work has remained incomplete ever since. In 1979, the Mappila Kala Sahithya Vedi published a compilation of his works titled "Pulikkottil Krithikal".
Chakeeri Moyidin Kutty of Cherur, near Vengara
, authored his poetry on the Battle of Badr
titled Ghazvath Badril Kubra (The great Battle of Badar)) in 1876, a year after Moyinkutty Vaidyar's Badar Padappattu. It began a fresh pattern in Mappilappattu where the poetry was in pure Malayalam language, unlike the earlier works that involved use of Arabic, Kannada and Tamil. The poem was also known as the Chakkeeri Badr, to distinguish it from the other works on the same subject by other poets.The work is said to have been modified a couple of times by the author himself. He also authored a Malayalam-Arabic-Sanskrit dictionary and is considered one of the major Mappila poets of the 19th century.
Chettuvayi Pareekkutty (b.1853) author of Futhuhussaman,Minhathul Bari,Soubhagya Sundari and Adi Ahaduna was another well-known poet of the era. He was well versed in Tamil, Sanksrit and classical music.
Futhuhussaman is not an original work of Chettuvayi Pareekukutty. It was a translation of a Tamil work by same name.
gave birth to a large variety of songs of this genre.
T Ubaid
Born T Abdurahman (1908-1972) at Thalankara in Kasargode, T Ubaid was one of the greatest figures of Malayalam literature in the 20th century. He was well versed in English, Malayalam, Arabic, Urdu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil. Often referred to as Mahakavi Ubaid, he was both a poet and a researcher of Mappilappattu, documenting a large collection of Mappila songs popular in the North Malabar through oral tradition. His historic speeches and rendering of hitherto unheard kissa pattukal at the Kozhikode Sahitya Parishath conference in 1947 and similar conferences drew attention of the intellectuals of Malayalam literature to the rich literary traditions of Mappilappattu.
P.T. Abdurahman
S.A. Jameel
S.A. Jameel is a poet widely associated to the kathu pattu (Letter songs) genre of Mappila songs. His most popular works remain the 1976 letter and reply duet Ethrayum bahumanappetta ente priya bharthavu vayikkuvan (Oh my dear respected husband) and Abu Dhabeelullorezhuthupetti (A letterbox in Abu Dhabi). The former is a wife's letter to her husband abroad in Abu Dhabi
requesting his return, while the latter is the husband's reply to his wife. The poet, who had psychological counselling sessions with many of the womenfolk of Malabar living separated lives from their husbands in the Gulf, described the anguishes of separation as felt by the women in the first song. The lyrics of the song referred in particular to the sexual and emotional needs of the woman and generated both praise and controversy within the community. The second song, composed as the husband's reply was also based on his interactions with the diaspora Mappila community during his visits to the Middle East in the late 1970s. It described the hardships and emotional dilemma faced by the migrant workers separated from their families. The songs created a huge impact on the whole diaspora community across different religions at the time prompting many to leave their jobs and return to their homeland for good. Though the kathu pattu (songs in the form of letters) existed before the works of S.A. Jameel, it was his works that popularized the genre amongst the common people of the Malabar.
In the early years of Mappilappaattu, the songs were written with a specific purpose of educating the masses about the religious teachings of Islam. In an era that preceded the printing press, oral traditions played an important role in the religious education of the Mappilas, especially those who could not read or write. Some of the early songs written entirely for this purpose included the Aqeedath Mala, Niskaarapaattu, Naseehath
Mala, Kombinte paattu, Liqa Mala, Amaliyyath Mala etc.
Anti-colonial struggles
In the context of the Mappila uprisings against the British rule in Malabar
in the 19th and 20 centuries, the Pada pattu played an important role in rousing Mappila sentiments of the Mappila peasantry in their struggle.
The contribution of these ballads was a vital factor in the growth of a collective consciousness of a heroic tradition amongst the Mappila
s. After almost every uprising of the 19th and 20th centuries, songs eulogizing the heroism of the participants and idealizing their sacrifice were composed and propagated by Mappila bands which went around the countryside singing them. Ballads were also popularized through group singing at social and domestic functions.These war songs often contained vivid descriptions of carnal pleasures of paradise awaiting the "martyrs".Prior to the launch of an attack, the rebels in aspiration of "martyrdom" used to recite the Mala pattu alongside other preparations.
The struggle by the Mappilas against Portuguese invaders in the 16th century led by Mappila
legends like Kunhali Marakkars were also a major theme of such songs. Another popular theme in these songs were the battles of the early Muslims of Arabia which is evident in songs like Badar
Padappattu, Uhad
Padappattu, Hunain
Padappattu, Makkan Fathahu
and Khandaq
Padappattu. The songs provoked the Mappila population against the British authorities to the extent that a large number of them including the publications of the Cherur Padappattu were confiscated and destroyed by the authorities.
These songs also provided an insight for historians into the thoughts and viewpoints of the rebels and have been used for authentic historic compilation. The songs on the Malappuram shahids provide the earliest description of an armed struggle between the Mappila
s and the Jenmi
landlord class in the pre-Mysore era.William Logan
, refers to the Cherur Padappattu in the Malabar Manual
while describing the incident. (Pg 560,Vol 1, Asian Educational Services, 2000). Roland Miller also quotes from this ballad in "Mappila Muslims of Kerala: a study in Islamic trends". (pg 119, Orient Longman, 1992.)
The 1921 Malabar Rebellion
also spawned a large amount of Mappila songs. Many of these songs describe the events at the Khilafat movement in Malabar and offer a view into the conditions in Malabar during the era. A song sung at a Khilafat meeting at Tirurangadi
in 1921 described the aims of the Khilafat Movement
in a mindset of complete harmony with the National movement led by Mahatma Gandhi
:
Munthiya Banduvay Hinduvum Muslimum (Hindus and Muslims have deep relations)
Moulana showathum Doula Khilafathum (The nation of Khilafath that the Moulana
shows us)
Entri Vannavidham Mahatma Gandhi than sahitham (He brought it to us along with the great Gandhi)
Ahmed Kutty composed the Malabar Lahala enna Khilafat Patt in 1925 describing the events of the rebellion. Even the prisoners of the rebellion like Tannirkode Ossankoya used to compose songs in their letters to their relatives.
Marriage
The Mailanchi Pattu, the Oppana Pattu and the Ammayi Pattu belong to the category of Mappila Pattukal dealing with love and marriage. They are sung in chorus in connection with marriage festivals, often accompanied by rhythmic clapping by women.
Migration
In the "Gulf boom" years of the 1970s and 80s, mass migration of workers from the Malabar to the oil-rich Gulf states of the Middle East resulted in households where the working men were often separated from their womenfolk and the only means of communication was the letter. This brought about a huge interest in the Kathu pattu (letter song) genre of Mappilappattu. The lyrics of these songs often connected closely to the lives of the migrant workers and their families and it popularized this genre of Mappilappattu.
Others
Mappila songs occasionally did also narrate stories outside the Muslim community. One such ballad was called the Mappila Ramayana deals with the story of the Hindu mythological figure Sri Rama
.
Songs of the Oppana genre typically described the beauty of a bride in colourful terms. The famous Badarul Muneer Husnul Jamal by Moyinkutty Vaidyar
devotes a section to describe the beauty of the heroine named Husnul Jamal.
Another popular subject of composition was the lives of the prominent women of the early years of Islam in Arabia. The popular ChandiraSundariMala by female poet PK Haleema narrated the marriage of the Aisha with Prophet Muhammed. Other songs by female poets like CH Kunhayisha, V Ayishakkutti etc depicted sorrowfully the final moments of Khadija, wife of Prophet Muhammed and Fatima, his daughter. The famous Nafeesath Mala by Nalakath KunhiMoideen Kutty praises a woman named Nafeesa, who belonged to the lineage of the Prophet. It ends with a prayer for her well-being in the Hereafter. Other major female poets include Puthur Amina, Kundil Kunhamina, B Ayishakkutty and K Aminakkutty.
Songs by male poets like the Mariyakkuttiyude Kath by Pulikkottil Hyder and the Dubai kathu pattu by S.A. Jameel also focussed on the emotional aspects of the life of the womenfolk in the Mappila community.
The Mala songs were believed to inculcate a religious belief in those who recited and listened to them and were hence given a spiritual status corresponding to the works of Ezhuthachan and Cherusseri Namboothiri
amongst the Hindu
population of Malabar. Many were recited daily at Mappila
homes. The Muhyidheen Mala was considered as a protection from all calamities while the Rifa'i Mala was chanted as a cure from burns and snake bites. Similarly, the Nafeesath Mala was prescribed for pregnant woman for an easy child birth. The importance accorded to the Mala songs was so high that their memorization was regarded as a qualification for a would-be bride.
Songs of Moyinkutty Vaidyar used to be sung and explained to public audiences in what was known as Seera Parayana Sadassu (history recital sessions). These often lasted for many nights together and were a popular scene throughout the Malabar.
The early 20th century witnessed the rise of reform movements within the Mappila
community. They objected to the messages of the Mala songs citing their contradictions with many of the basic tenets of Islam, often referring to them as Khurafath. Occasionally though, they used same medium to spread their message. Examples of these included the Parishkara Mala and the Durachara Mala.
Cinema and poetry
The spirit of their themes and beauty of representation in the Mappila Paattukal have left a lasting impression on Malayalam poetry
. Well known poets like P. Krishna Kumar, P. Bhaskaran
, and Vayalar Ramavarma
have composed a great number of popular Mappila songs. Mappila songs have been popular in the Malayalam cinema ever since the success of the 1954 classic Kayalarikaathu vala erinjappol by K. Raghavan
from the movie Neelakuyil. Other popular melodies include Oru kotta ponnundallo from the movie Kuttikuppayam and Palanu thenanu from Umma by M.S Baburaj
. Some of the movies that prominently include songs of this genre are Mailanchi, Pathinalamravu, Ulpathi, Sammanam, Manya Maha Janangale , Sammelanam, 1921 and Marc Antony.
Television
Patturumal is a popular reality show on Mappilapattu being aired on Kairali TV
.
Jai Hind TV channel has telecast a reality showy by name "Mappilapattukal". "Mailanji" is the current reality show by Asianet Channel.
, noted for his genre of Malabar Mappila Pattukal has won the appreciation of and respected by of film music directors like K. Raghavan
, M. S. Baburaj
, and A. T. Ummer
.In 1925, Gul Mohammed, father of veteran singer K.G. Sathar, recorded his voice in gramophone, which became the first gramophone record
in Malayalam. The singer and composer V. M. Kutty made significant contribution to popularise the Mappila songs. He is credited with having performed Mappila songs on stage for the first time in 1957.Other respected names who composed Mappila songs are Punnayurkulam V Bapu, O. M. Karuvarakkundu and Mohar Munir. Songs written by P.T. Abdul Rahman and sung by S.V.Peer Muhammad were compiled in a book Pīrmuhammad pāṭiya putiya Māppiḷappāṭṭukaḷ (Songs sung by Pir Muhammad).
Balakrishan Vallikkunnu is a researcher in Mappila literature and has researched various aspects of the messages conveyed in Mappila songs, including the anti-colonial sentiments in them.
The other prominent personalities associated with this genre of music include:
Singers
Poets
Musicians
E. K. Nayanar
inaugurated the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smarakam at the poet's birth place in Kondotty
as a cultural centre to attract research into Mappilappattu, and its studies and interpretations in Malayalam. The centre runs certificate courses in ‘Mappilappattu’ and ‘Mappila kali’. It also has attached to it a folklore study centre, a historical museum, and a reference library containing rare manuscripts in Arabi-Malayalam and other handwritten manuscripts. Each year it conducts the Vaidyar Mahotsavam, a two or three-day festival that includes cultural and literary programmes related to all Mappila
art forms. The Vaidyar Memorial Lecture is also delivered during the festival. In 2005, a two-volume compilation of his works was released as a book Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar, Sampoorna Krithikal by the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Samithi under the aegis of the Culture Department, Government of Kerala
. It also published a collection of essays on Moyinkutty Vaidyar
titled Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Padanangal.
On 12 June 2008, M. A. Baby
, Minister of Education and Culture, Government of Kerala, inaugurated the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Memorial Center for Studies and Research on Folk and Mappila Arts (SCARF) at the Vaidyar Smarakam complex. A regional centre for study of Mappila folk arts was also set up at Mogral
in Kasargode district in 2009.
The All Kerala Mappila Sangeetha Academy was established in 1992 and instituted the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Award and the M.S. Baburaj Award. It also holds annual arts festivals with emphasis on Mappila arts.
community, its frustrations, struggles, love and affection over the ages. Littérateur M.T. Vasudevan Nair once described Mappila songs as the "cultural fountains of a bygone age". Today, increasing "cacophony" trends in newer Mappila songs and the lack of poets with a sense of imagination have attracted criticism from many corners. A large number of songs released in the last decade under the label of Mappila Songs, have been criticized for deviating from the original nature of the folk idiom and tunes, provoking a call for a preservation of the original identity of Mappila songs.
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
song genre rendered to lyrics in colloquial Mappila dialect of Malayalam
Mappila dialect of Malayalam
The Malayalam language spoken mostly by Mappila Muslim community of Kerala state, India is called Mappila dialect of Malayalam or simply as Mappila Malayalam...
laced with Arabic, by the Mappilas of Malabar. Mappila songs have a distinct cultural identity, while at the same time, remain closely linked to the cultural practices of Kerala. The songs often used words from Persian, Urdu, Tamil, Hindi apart from Arabic and Malayalam, but the grammatical syntax was always based on Malayalam. They deal with themes such as religion, love, satire and heroism, and are often sung at occasions of birth, marriage and death. Mappila Paattu form an integral part of the heritage of Malayalam literature today and is regarded by some as the most popular branch of Malayalam literature, enjoyed by all communities in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
History
Mappila songs have been in circulation or over seven centuries, with the first dated work Muhyidheen Mala atrributed to Qadi Muhammad of Kozhikode in 1607 A.D. Thereafter a large number of literary materials was produced in this medium; one authority has calculated that of these more than 1600 items, complete or fragmentary, are known as of 1976. Over the centuries, various types of Mappila Pattu were composed, in accordance with the religious and political surroundings in the lives of the Mappilas of Malabar. The early centuries were primarily based on devotional works, while the colonial era was marked by the battle song genre called Padappattu. Various other categories also grew during the centuries with subjects ranging from romantic ballads and marriage songs to philosophical ideas, sea journeys and even flood ordeals.Early works
The earliest known dated works in Mappilappattu belong to the 17th century and primarily belonged to the Mala genre.Malappattu
The mala genre of Mappila songs, generally written in Arabi-Malayalam script are praises of pious personalities of Islam who were supposed to have gained high spiritual status. Generally, though most such works were themed on the lives of Sufi saints (AuliyaAuliya
For dargahs in the world,visit:http://www.dargahawlia.co.nr/Auliya is an Arabic word usually translated as friend, helper, supporter or protector. It's often used to designate the status of a saint. For example, the famous Nizamuddin Auliya became known as such after his religious contributions...
) . Most of these songs narrate "superhuman" deeds of these saints. The songs became popular in an era when Sufism
Sufism
Sufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
gained a strong foothold amongst the Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
s. Each Mala often corresponded to the leader of a Sufi order called Thareeqath, who was abundantly showered praises in the poetry, often well-exceeding the limits of human capabilities. Popular among these are the Muhyidheen
Qadiriyya
The Qadiriyya , are members of the Qadiri Sufi order...
Mala, the Rifai mala, the Shaduli
Shadhili
The Shadhili Tariqa is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam founded by Abul Hasan Ali ash-Shadhili. Followers of the Shadhiliya are known as Shadhilis....
Mala, the Ajmeer
Chishti Order
The Chishtī Order is a Sufi order within the mystic branches of Islam which was founded in Chisht, a small town near Herat, Afghanistan about 930 CE. The Chishti Order is known for its emphasis on love, tolerance, and openness. The doctrine of the Chishti Order is based on walāya, which is a...
Mala, and the Nafeesath mala. Each of these corresponded to their respective Sufi orders while the last is about Nafeesathul Misriyya, a woman Sufi saint of Egypt more commonly known as Sayyida Nafeesa.
Qadi Muhammad
Qadi Muhammad Ibn Abdul Aziz (d 1616), popularly known as Qadi Muhammad was the QadiQadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
of Calicut in the sixteenth century and is considered as the author of the earliest dated work in Mappilappattu literature. His Muhyiddeen Mala is composed in the Arabi-Malayalam script in a mixture of Arabic, Malayalam and Tamil languages. 43% of the words used in it are from Arabic language, while another 25-30 percent show an influence of Tamil vocabulary. It deals with the life of Abdul Qadir Jilani, the famous Sufi saint of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.The book was held in high religious esteem by the Mappilas till the 20th century. Qadi Muhammad also authored the Fath-Al Mubeen, an Arabic poetic composition narrating the "perfect victory" of the combined native forces of the Zamorin, the Kunhali Marakkars and the Kolathiri
Kolathiri
Kolathiri or Kolathiri Rājā was the title by which the senior most male along the matilinial line of the Mushika or Kolathunādu Royal Family was styled...
against the Portuguese invaders at the Battle of Chaliyam in 1571. He also authored almost 50 other works in Arabic.
The seventeenth century also witnessed the composition of other popular works in the Malappattu genre, namely the Rifai Mala (1623) by Ahammadul Kabeer, Uswath Mala (1628) and Valiya Naseehath Mala (1674) by Manantakath Kunhikoya Thangal.
18th century
Songs of the 18th century were primarily of the Kissa genre, narrating stories of the prophets of Islam or Sufi saints. Examples of such songs include the Ibrahim Nabi Qissa and the Ibrahim Ibn AdhamIbrahim Bin Adham
Ibrahim ibn Adham is one of the most prominent of the early ascetic Sufi saints.The story of his conversion is one of the most celebrated in Sufi legend, as that of a prince renouncing his throne and choosing asceticism closely echoing the legend of Gautama Buddha.Sufi tradition ascribes to...
Kissa. Songs like the kappappattu and Safalamaala by Shujayi Moidu Musaliyarconveyed ideological messages to the community in the era of post-Portuguese years when the identity and existence of the Mappilas were in a shattered state.
Kunhayan Musaliyar
Kunhayan Musaliyar was a courtier in the Zamorin's court in the early 18th century. He authored the popular works titled Nool Mala or Nool Mad'h (1721 A.D.) and Kappappattu. While the former was a devotional work of 666 lines composed in 16 different ishalukal (tunes) , the latter consisted of 600 lines composed in a single tune. Narrating with wit and humour, the voyage of the human body through the journey of life is portrayed here as a vessel in the ocean voyaging through the seas. The Kappa Pattu remained hugely popular for centuries, next only to the Muhyiddeen Mala.
Umar Qadi
Veliyankode Umar Qadi, (1757-1852) was a scholar, poet and freedom fighter from Veliyankode
Veliyankode
Veliyankode is a village in Malappuram district in the state of Kerala, India.-Demographics: India census, Veliyankode had a population of 29596 with 14034 males and 15562 females....
, near Ponnani
Ponnani
Ponnani/Ponani is an ancient port, a coastal town and a municipality in Malappuram district in the Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 9.32 km2. Ponnani taluk is the smallest Taluk in Malappuram district. This tiny, picturesque town is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west...
, well known for his tax non-cooperation movement against the British rule in the Malabar. He composed songs of various subjects, ranging from the Cheraman Perumal
Cheraman Perumal
Rama Varman Kulashekhara was the last King of the Later Chera Dynasty and the first ruler of the independent Venad state from 1102 A.D to 1122 A.D, according to the Rameswarathukoil Inscription. Kotha Varman Marthandam succeeded him as the ruler of Venad.-The end of the Chera dynasty:Rama Varman...
to Arabic grammar. Other poems of his criticized the wrongdoings of members of his own community. He also wrote many poems in Arabic.
19th century and early 20th century
The dawn of the 19th century saw the advent of British rule in the Malabar. The songs of this era are marked by the rising anti-British feelings in the Mappila society in the backdrop of the agrarian tenancy discontent against the British backed JenmiJenmi
Jenmi is the term used to refer to the landlords of the Nair and Namboothiris castes from Kerala. In the past the majority, if not all the land was owned by these Jenmimar , and it was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to of land...
landlords. Most of the songs of the era fall under the Padappattu ( battle songs) genre.
Padappattu
The first dated work in this genre was the Zaqqoom Padappattu dated 1836. This song was actually an Arabi-Malayalam translation of the Tamil work Zakkoon Padayppor composed by Varishay Mukiyudheen Poolavar of Madurai in 1686. Alim Umar Labba, a Mappila religious scholar from Kayalpattanam translated it into Arabi-Malayalam.. Many of the tunes (Ishals)of Zakoon Padayppor have been largely utilized by famous Arabi Malayalam poet, Moin Kutty Vaidyar, especially in his master piece work, Badre Padappattu.The songs of the Padapattu genre can be classified into four different types:
- Islamic folk tales : These songs have no relation to actual historic events but either from a folk tale, a legend or simply an imaginary story related to Islamic traditions. Songs of this category include the Zaqqum Padappattu and the Jinn Padappattu. The former is a story about an imaginary confrontation of King Zaqqum of Iraq and Prophet Muhammed of Arabia while the latter is story about the JinnJinnJinn are supernatural beings in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings.Jinn may also refer to:* Jinn , a Japanese band* Qui-Gon Jinn, a character in the Star Wars universe...
s, the other creation parallel to human beings as taught by the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. - Islamic history : These songs narrated events from the early years of Islam, and in particular the early battles of Islam. The BadarBadarMullah Badar was a governor of the Afghan province of Badghis during the reign of the Taliban.He was captured by Tajik forces in April 2003. -References:...
padappattu, the Hunayn Padappattu and the KarbalaKarbalaKarbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
padappattu are characteristic of this category. - Mappila history : Songs of this type typically narrated the heroic deeds of the Muslims of Kerala and eulogize the martyrs among them, especially in their battles against the Portuguese and British colonial powers and local JenmiJenmiJenmi is the term used to refer to the landlords of the Nair and Namboothiris castes from Kerala. In the past the majority, if not all the land was owned by these Jenmimar , and it was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to of land...
landlords.Typical among these are the Kotturpalli Mala, Moyinkutty VaidyarMoyinkutty VaidyarMoyinkutty Vaidyar , often referred to as Mahakavi , is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic poets of the Mappila pattu genre of Malayalam language songs in Kerala state, South India.-Personal life:...
's Malappuram Padappattu(1883) etc. and the Cherur Padappattu. The first depicts the heroism of Veliyankode Kunhi Marakkar, a warrior who saves a 17-year old Mappila girl from the hands of Portuguese kidnappers but is martyred at the end of the battle. The eulogy here is enhanced with the simultaneity of the character's death with his hour of marriage. The other two narrate stories of Mappila attacks on the British and the JenmiJenmiJenmi is the term used to refer to the landlords of the Nair and Namboothiris castes from Kerala. In the past the majority, if not all the land was owned by these Jenmimar , and it was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to of land...
landlords during the 19th century. The Cherur Padappattu, composed by two poets named Mammad Kutti and Muhyidheen in 1841, refers to a battle between MappilaMappilaMappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
rebels and the army of the East India CompanyEast India CompanyThe East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. The rebels had assassinated Kaprat Krishna Panikkar, the adhikariAdhikariAdhikari originally referred to a village administrator in Nepal. It is used as a surname, and may refer to:*Shantidas Adhikari , Hindu preacher from Sylhet*Rajesh Singh Adhikari , Indian army officer...
of TirurangadiTirurangadiTirurangadi is a small town in Malapuram district of Kerala, South India. It is a historical old town which is much famed for its active participance in the freedom struggle, especially those dating back to 1920s. It is a panchayat as well as a taluk...
and sought refuge in a deserted house. The soldiers later surround them and in the ensuing battle, seven Mappilas and 20 of the Company army lost their lives. The Cherur Padappattu narrates this story praising the "martyrs" amongst the Mappillas in this battle. - Fictional songs: These songs were about purely imaginary subjects. The elippada which narrates a 3-day imaginary battle between rats and cats based on a PanchatantraPanchatantraThe Panchatantra is an ancient Indian inter-related collection of animal fables in verse and prose, in a frame story format. The original Sanskrit work, which some scholars believe was composed in the 3rd century BCE, is attributed to Vishnu Sharma...
story falls under this category.
The common feature of all these songs were their pattern of narration of the bravery of the heroes depicted.
While the battle songs roused the feelings of the community against the authorities, this era also witnessed the popularization of romantic ballads like Moyinkutty Vaidyar's Badarul Muneer Husnul Jamal and Chettuvayi Pareekkutty's Soubhagya Sundari. One of the notable aspects of both these works were the age of the authors at the time of the composition; Vaidyar was said to have been 17 or (by some reports) 20 at the time and so was Pareekkutty.
Moyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty VaidyarMoyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty Vaidyar , often referred to as Mahakavi , is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic poets of the Mappila pattu genre of Malayalam language songs in Kerala state, South India.-Personal life:...
(1857-1891), often referred to as Mahakavi (great poet) is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic Mappila poets. Born into an Ayurvedic family in 1857 at Kondotti in Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
district, he was well versed in Sanskrit and Arabic. At a very young age of seventeen, he composed the romantic epic Badarul Munir - Husnul Jamal (1872) .
His later works were on totally different themes that were essentially war songs in nature. The Badar Padappattu and Malappuram Padappatt are the most popular songs of this genre. Shabvathul Badarul Kubra(1875) , more popularly known as the Badar Padappattu is considered one of the finest compositions of Mappilappattu . It narrates the tale of the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
by Prophet Muhammed and his companions. The Malappuram Padappattu (1883), also known as the Madhinidhi Mala describes the undercurrents of peasant life and struggles in Malappuram
Malappuram
Malappuram is a municipality in the South Indian state of Kerala, spread over an area of 33.61 km2. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Malappuram district. As per the 2011 census Malappuram urban agglomeration is the fourth largest UA in kerala with a total population of...
in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The songs of Moyinkutty Vaidyar are distinguished by their depth of imagination, the beauty of the metaphors used, the creativity comparisons involved and the variety of their ishals (tunes/modes).
Pulikkottil Hyder
Pulikkottil Hyder, born in 1879 at WandoorWandoor
Wandoor is a small town in Malppuram district of Kerala, India at. It is located near to Manjeri.The town is fast growing thanks to hundreds of NRIs...
was a popular poet who composed short songs in Arabi-Malayalam on topics of common interest, often attacking social evils. His simple lyrics on ordinary life of the Mappilas defied the traditional patterns of Mappilappattu thus giving him the name " The Kunchan Nambiar of Mappilappattu". In Vellappokka Maala, he describes a heavy flood that affected all throughout the Malabar, Mysore and Travancore. The sufferings of common men in the flood are depicted beautifully using only ordinary Malayalam vocabulary.
The Pulikkotil Hyder Smaraka Puraskaram, instituted by the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Committee and given to personalities who have contributed to the art of Mappilappattu is named after him. The foundation for a memorial for the poet was laid in his hometown Wandoor
Wandoor
Wandoor is a small town in Malppuram district of Kerala, India at. It is located near to Manjeri.The town is fast growing thanks to hundreds of NRIs...
by former Chief Minister of Kerala
Chief Minister of Kerala
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the elected head of government of the state of Kerala, India. By the Constitution of India, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....
C.H. Mohammed Koya
C.H. Mohammed Koya
C.H. Mohammed Koya was an Indian politician and the tenth Chief Minister of Kerala. He served from October 12, 1979 to December 1, 1979.-Early days:...
in April 1979, but the work has remained incomplete ever since. In 1979, the Mappila Kala Sahithya Vedi published a compilation of his works titled "Pulikkottil Krithikal".
Other poets
Chakeeri Moyidin KuttyChakeeri Moyidin Kutty of Cherur, near Vengara
Vengara
Vengara is a village in Kannur District, Kerala, India that is known for its landscapes and lush greenery.The village is between the Arabian Sea and Ezhimala Hill.The word vengara comes from ven kara meaning "white land" created by moving sea...
, authored his poetry on the Battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
titled Ghazvath Badril Kubra (The great Battle of Badar)) in 1876, a year after Moyinkutty Vaidyar's Badar Padappattu. It began a fresh pattern in Mappilappattu where the poetry was in pure Malayalam language, unlike the earlier works that involved use of Arabic, Kannada and Tamil. The poem was also known as the Chakkeeri Badr, to distinguish it from the other works on the same subject by other poets.The work is said to have been modified a couple of times by the author himself. He also authored a Malayalam-Arabic-Sanskrit dictionary and is considered one of the major Mappila poets of the 19th century.
Chettuvayi Pareekkutty (b.1853) author of Futhuhussaman,Minhathul Bari,Soubhagya Sundari and Adi Ahaduna was another well-known poet of the era. He was well versed in Tamil, Sanksrit and classical music.
Futhuhussaman is not an original work of Chettuvayi Pareekukutty. It was a translation of a Tamil work by same name.
1920s and later
The early 20th century witnessed the growing influence of Malayalam in the Mappilappattu genre. This period was characterized by the rise of theological reform movements and nationalist mobilization in the Malabar. Songs of the era also involved themes of Pan-Indian nationalism and the Independence movement against the British. The 1921 Malabar RebellionMalabar Rebellion
The Malabar Rebellion was an armed uprising in 1921 against British authority in the Malabar region of Southern India by Mappila Muslims and the culmination of a series of Mappila revolts that recurred throughout the 19th century and early 20th century...
gave birth to a large variety of songs of this genre.
T Ubaid
Born T Abdurahman (1908-1972) at Thalankara in Kasargode, T Ubaid was one of the greatest figures of Malayalam literature in the 20th century. He was well versed in English, Malayalam, Arabic, Urdu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Tamil. Often referred to as Mahakavi Ubaid, he was both a poet and a researcher of Mappilappattu, documenting a large collection of Mappila songs popular in the North Malabar through oral tradition. His historic speeches and rendering of hitherto unheard kissa pattukal at the Kozhikode Sahitya Parishath conference in 1947 and similar conferences drew attention of the intellectuals of Malayalam literature to the rich literary traditions of Mappilappattu.
P.T. Abdurahman
S.A. Jameel
S.A. Jameel is a poet widely associated to the kathu pattu (Letter songs) genre of Mappila songs. His most popular works remain the 1976 letter and reply duet Ethrayum bahumanappetta ente priya bharthavu vayikkuvan (Oh my dear respected husband) and Abu Dhabeelullorezhuthupetti (A letterbox in Abu Dhabi). The former is a wife's letter to her husband abroad in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
requesting his return, while the latter is the husband's reply to his wife. The poet, who had psychological counselling sessions with many of the womenfolk of Malabar living separated lives from their husbands in the Gulf, described the anguishes of separation as felt by the women in the first song. The lyrics of the song referred in particular to the sexual and emotional needs of the woman and generated both praise and controversy within the community. The second song, composed as the husband's reply was also based on his interactions with the diaspora Mappila community during his visits to the Middle East in the late 1970s. It described the hardships and emotional dilemma faced by the migrant workers separated from their families. The songs created a huge impact on the whole diaspora community across different religions at the time prompting many to leave their jobs and return to their homeland for good. Though the kathu pattu (songs in the form of letters) existed before the works of S.A. Jameel, it was his works that popularized the genre amongst the common people of the Malabar.
Social context
Religious teachingsIn the early years of Mappilappaattu, the songs were written with a specific purpose of educating the masses about the religious teachings of Islam. In an era that preceded the printing press, oral traditions played an important role in the religious education of the Mappilas, especially those who could not read or write. Some of the early songs written entirely for this purpose included the Aqeedath Mala, Niskaarapaattu, Naseehath
Naseeha
Naseeha is the Arabic word for advice. It can also mean recommendation . Seeking naseeha is mostly looked upon positively, as an act of devotion rather than a lack of it or of knowledge. Though one might be rebuked or scolded during the process, it will most likely be for the advisor to impress the...
Mala, Kombinte paattu, Liqa Mala, Amaliyyath Mala etc.
Anti-colonial struggles
In the context of the Mappila uprisings against the British rule in Malabar
Malabar District
Malabar District was an administrative district of Madras Presidency in British India and independent India's Madras State. The British district included the present-day districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad , and Chavakad Taluk of Thrissur District in the northern part of...
in the 19th and 20 centuries, the Pada pattu played an important role in rousing Mappila sentiments of the Mappila peasantry in their struggle.
The contribution of these ballads was a vital factor in the growth of a collective consciousness of a heroic tradition amongst the Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
s. After almost every uprising of the 19th and 20th centuries, songs eulogizing the heroism of the participants and idealizing their sacrifice were composed and propagated by Mappila bands which went around the countryside singing them. Ballads were also popularized through group singing at social and domestic functions.These war songs often contained vivid descriptions of carnal pleasures of paradise awaiting the "martyrs".Prior to the launch of an attack, the rebels in aspiration of "martyrdom" used to recite the Mala pattu alongside other preparations.
The struggle by the Mappilas against Portuguese invaders in the 16th century led by Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
legends like Kunhali Marakkars were also a major theme of such songs. Another popular theme in these songs were the battles of the early Muslims of Arabia which is evident in songs like Badar
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
Padappattu, Uhad
Battle of Uhud
The Battle of Uhud was fought on March 19, 625 at the valley located in front of Mount Uhud, in what is now northwestern Arabia. It occurred between a force from the Muslim community of Medina led by the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and a force led by Abu Sufyan ibn Harb from Mecca, the town from...
Padappattu, Hunain
Battle of Hunayn
The Battle of Hunain was fought between Muhammad and his followers against the Bedouin tribe of Hawazin and its subsection the Thaqif in 630 in a valley on one of the roads leading from Mecca to al-Ta'if. The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims, who captured enormous spoils...
Padappattu, Makkan Fathahu
Conquest of Mecca
Mecca was conquered by the Muslims in January 630 AD .-Background:In 628 the Meccan tribe of Quraysh and the Muslim community in Medina signed a 10 year truce called the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah....
and Khandaq
Battle of the Trench
The Battle of the Trench also known as Battle of Ahzab, Battle of the Confederates and Siege of Medina , was a fortnight-long siege of Yathrib by Arab and Jewish tribes. The strength of the confederate armies is estimated around 10,000 men with six hundred horses and some camels, while the...
Padappattu. The songs provoked the Mappila population against the British authorities to the extent that a large number of them including the publications of the Cherur Padappattu were confiscated and destroyed by the authorities.
These songs also provided an insight for historians into the thoughts and viewpoints of the rebels and have been used for authentic historic compilation. The songs on the Malappuram shahids provide the earliest description of an armed struggle between the Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
s and the Jenmi
Jenmi
Jenmi is the term used to refer to the landlords of the Nair and Namboothiris castes from Kerala. In the past the majority, if not all the land was owned by these Jenmimar , and it was not unusual for an aristocratic family to own up to of land...
landlord class in the pre-Mysore era.William Logan
William Logan (Malabar Manual)
William Logan was a Scottish officer of the Madras Civil Service under the British Government. Before his appointment as Collector of Malabar, he had served in the area for about twenty years in the capacity of Magistrate and Judge. He was conversant in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu...
, refers to the Cherur Padappattu in the Malabar Manual
William Logan (Malabar Manual)
William Logan was a Scottish officer of the Madras Civil Service under the British Government. Before his appointment as Collector of Malabar, he had served in the area for about twenty years in the capacity of Magistrate and Judge. He was conversant in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu...
while describing the incident. (Pg 560,Vol 1, Asian Educational Services, 2000). Roland Miller also quotes from this ballad in "Mappila Muslims of Kerala: a study in Islamic trends". (pg 119, Orient Longman, 1992.)
The 1921 Malabar Rebellion
Malabar Rebellion
The Malabar Rebellion was an armed uprising in 1921 against British authority in the Malabar region of Southern India by Mappila Muslims and the culmination of a series of Mappila revolts that recurred throughout the 19th century and early 20th century...
also spawned a large amount of Mappila songs. Many of these songs describe the events at the Khilafat movement in Malabar and offer a view into the conditions in Malabar during the era. A song sung at a Khilafat meeting at Tirurangadi
Tirurangadi
Tirurangadi is a small town in Malapuram district of Kerala, South India. It is a historical old town which is much famed for its active participance in the freedom struggle, especially those dating back to 1920s. It is a panchayat as well as a taluk...
in 1921 described the aims of the Khilafat Movement
Khilafat Movement
The Khilafat movement was a pan-Islamic, political campaign launched by Muslims in British India to influence the British government and to protect the Ottoman Empire during the aftermath of World War I...
in a mindset of complete harmony with the National movement led by Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
:
Munthiya Banduvay Hinduvum Muslimum (Hindus and Muslims have deep relations)
Moulana showathum Doula Khilafathum (The nation of Khilafath that the Moulana
Maulana Mohammad Ali
Maulana Mohammad Ali Jouhar was an Indian Muslim leader, activist, scholar, journalist and poet, and was among the leading figures of the Khilafat Movement....
shows us)
Entri Vannavidham Mahatma Gandhi than sahitham (He brought it to us along with the great Gandhi)
Ahmed Kutty composed the Malabar Lahala enna Khilafat Patt in 1925 describing the events of the rebellion. Even the prisoners of the rebellion like Tannirkode Ossankoya used to compose songs in their letters to their relatives.
Marriage
The Mailanchi Pattu, the Oppana Pattu and the Ammayi Pattu belong to the category of Mappila Pattukal dealing with love and marriage. They are sung in chorus in connection with marriage festivals, often accompanied by rhythmic clapping by women.
Migration
In the "Gulf boom" years of the 1970s and 80s, mass migration of workers from the Malabar to the oil-rich Gulf states of the Middle East resulted in households where the working men were often separated from their womenfolk and the only means of communication was the letter. This brought about a huge interest in the Kathu pattu (letter song) genre of Mappilappattu. The lyrics of these songs often connected closely to the lives of the migrant workers and their families and it popularized this genre of Mappilappattu.
Others
Mappila songs occasionally did also narrate stories outside the Muslim community. One such ballad was called the Mappila Ramayana deals with the story of the Hindu mythological figure Sri Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
.
Female presence in Mappilappattu
Mappila womenfolk feature prominently in the culture and literature of Mappilappattu in various ways. The presence of female poets in Mappilappattu literature long predated the first female presence in Malayalam literature. A large number of Mappila songs also had female subjects as their main theme.Songs of the Oppana genre typically described the beauty of a bride in colourful terms. The famous Badarul Muneer Husnul Jamal by Moyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty Vaidyar , often referred to as Mahakavi , is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic poets of the Mappila pattu genre of Malayalam language songs in Kerala state, South India.-Personal life:...
devotes a section to describe the beauty of the heroine named Husnul Jamal.
Another popular subject of composition was the lives of the prominent women of the early years of Islam in Arabia. The popular ChandiraSundariMala by female poet PK Haleema narrated the marriage of the Aisha with Prophet Muhammed. Other songs by female poets like CH Kunhayisha, V Ayishakkutti etc depicted sorrowfully the final moments of Khadija, wife of Prophet Muhammed and Fatima, his daughter. The famous Nafeesath Mala by Nalakath KunhiMoideen Kutty praises a woman named Nafeesa, who belonged to the lineage of the Prophet. It ends with a prayer for her well-being in the Hereafter. Other major female poets include Puthur Amina, Kundil Kunhamina, B Ayishakkutty and K Aminakkutty.
Songs by male poets like the Mariyakkuttiyude Kath by Pulikkottil Hyder and the Dubai kathu pattu by S.A. Jameel also focussed on the emotional aspects of the life of the womenfolk in the Mappila community.
Influence
Mala songs and ordinary lifeThe Mala songs were believed to inculcate a religious belief in those who recited and listened to them and were hence given a spiritual status corresponding to the works of Ezhuthachan and Cherusseri Namboothiri
Cherusseri Namboothiri
Cherusseri Namboothiri is the author of Krishna Gatha, a poem which is used in India for daily recitation as an act of worship of Krishna during the Malayalam month Chingam by devout Keralites, especially women. Cherussery was the writer of krishnagatha...
amongst the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
population of Malabar. Many were recited daily at Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
homes. The Muhyidheen Mala was considered as a protection from all calamities while the Rifa'i Mala was chanted as a cure from burns and snake bites. Similarly, the Nafeesath Mala was prescribed for pregnant woman for an easy child birth. The importance accorded to the Mala songs was so high that their memorization was regarded as a qualification for a would-be bride.
Songs of Moyinkutty Vaidyar used to be sung and explained to public audiences in what was known as Seera Parayana Sadassu (history recital sessions). These often lasted for many nights together and were a popular scene throughout the Malabar.
The early 20th century witnessed the rise of reform movements within the Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
community. They objected to the messages of the Mala songs citing their contradictions with many of the basic tenets of Islam, often referring to them as Khurafath. Occasionally though, they used same medium to spread their message. Examples of these included the Parishkara Mala and the Durachara Mala.
Cinema and poetry
The spirit of their themes and beauty of representation in the Mappila Paattukal have left a lasting impression on Malayalam poetry
Malayalam poetry
There are two types of meters used in Malayalam poetry, the classical Sanskrit based and Tamil based ones.- Sanskrit Meters :Sanskrit meters are primarily based on trisyllabic feet. The short sound is called a laghu, a long sound is called a guru. A guru is twice as long as a laghu...
. Well known poets like P. Krishna Kumar, P. Bhaskaran
P. Bhaskaran
Pulloottupadathu Bhaskara Menon , better known as P. Bhaskaran, was a famous Malayalam poet and lyricist of Malayalam film songs. He penned more than 3000 songs for about 250 films. He also directed 44 Malayalam feature films and 3 documentaries, produced 6 feature films and acted in several movies...
, and Vayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma
Vayalar Ramavarma , often known as Vayalar, was a modern Malayalam poet and lyricist. His famous works include Sargasangeetham, Mulankaadu, Padamudrakal, Aayisha, Oru Judas janikkunnu.-Biography:...
have composed a great number of popular Mappila songs. Mappila songs have been popular in the Malayalam cinema ever since the success of the 1954 classic Kayalarikaathu vala erinjappol by K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan is a Malayalam music composer. Along with Baburaj, Raghavan is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. K.Raghavan gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music.As he searched for the right tune for the lyrics, little did K...
from the movie Neelakuyil. Other popular melodies include Oru kotta ponnundallo from the movie Kuttikuppayam and Palanu thenanu from Umma by M.S Baburaj
Baburaj
Mohammad Sabir Baburaj , also known as M. S. Baburaj, was a Malayalam music composer. He is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. Baburaj has rendered music to many evergreen Malayalam film songs.-Early years:...
. Some of the movies that prominently include songs of this genre are Mailanchi, Pathinalamravu, Ulpathi, Sammanam, Manya Maha Janangale , Sammelanam, 1921 and Marc Antony.
Television
Patturumal is a popular reality show on Mappilapattu being aired on Kairali TV
Kairali TV
Kairali TV is an Indian television channel broadcasting in the Malayalam language catering to the Malayalam speaking population in Kerala as well as abroad . The channel, headquartered in Trivandrum, has studio facilities in Trivandrum as well as Kochi. Malayalam Communications Limited is the...
.
Jai Hind TV channel has telecast a reality showy by name "Mappilapattukal". "Mailanji" is the current reality show by Asianet Channel.
Personalities
S. M. Koya of KozhikodeKozhikode
Kozhikode During Classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikkode was dubbed the "City of Spices" for its role as the major trading point of eastern spices. Kozhikode was once the capital of an independent kingdom of the same name and later of the erstwhile Malabar District...
, noted for his genre of Malabar Mappila Pattukal has won the appreciation of and respected by of film music directors like K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan
K. Raghavan is a Malayalam music composer. Along with Baburaj, Raghavan is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. K.Raghavan gave a new direction and identity to Malayalam film music.As he searched for the right tune for the lyrics, little did K...
, M. S. Baburaj
Baburaj
Mohammad Sabir Baburaj , also known as M. S. Baburaj, was a Malayalam music composer. He is often credited for the renaissance of Malayalam film music. Baburaj has rendered music to many evergreen Malayalam film songs.-Early years:...
, and A. T. Ummer
A. T. Ummer
A. T. Ummer , was a noted Malayalam music composer from Kerala, India. He is known for composing many soft melodies for Malayalam movies.Born in Thalasserry in Kannur district, Ummer made his debut in the 1967 film Thalirukkal. It was director A. Vincent who first recognized musical talents of Ummer...
.In 1925, Gul Mohammed, father of veteran singer K.G. Sathar, recorded his voice in gramophone, which became the first gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in Malayalam. The singer and composer V. M. Kutty made significant contribution to popularise the Mappila songs. He is credited with having performed Mappila songs on stage for the first time in 1957.Other respected names who composed Mappila songs are Punnayurkulam V Bapu, O. M. Karuvarakkundu and Mohar Munir. Songs written by P.T. Abdul Rahman and sung by S.V.Peer Muhammad were compiled in a book Pīrmuhammad pāṭiya putiya Māppiḷappāṭṭukaḷ (Songs sung by Pir Muhammad).
Balakrishan Vallikkunnu is a researcher in Mappila literature and has researched various aspects of the messages conveyed in Mappila songs, including the anti-colonial sentiments in them.
The other prominent personalities associated with this genre of music include:
Singers
- Vilayil Faseela
- Peer Muhammed
- Eranholi Moosa
- V. T. Murali
- Ramla Beegum & Aysha Beegum
- Azeez Thayineri
- Kozhikode Abdul KaderKozhikode Abdul KaderKozhikode Abdul Kader, born Leslie Andrews was a Malayalam playback singer.-Biography:Born to J. S. Andrews and Manini on February 19, 1916, Andrews converted to Islam and rechristened himself as Abdul Kader when he landed up in Burma. He was first noticed by the music director V. Dakshinamoorthy....
- H. Mehaboob
- A.V.Mohamed
- M. P. Ummerkutty
- kannur sherif
Poets
- Nalakath Kassim
- Bappu Vellipparamba
- K. T. Moideen
- Pakkar Pannoor
Musicians
- Chand Pasha
- K. V. Abootty
- A. T. UmmerA. T. UmmerA. T. Ummer , was a noted Malayalam music composer from Kerala, India. He is known for composing many soft melodies for Malayalam movies.Born in Thalasserry in Kannur district, Ummer made his debut in the 1967 film Thalirukkal. It was director A. Vincent who first recognized musical talents of Ummer...
Vaidyar Smarakam
In 1999, then Chief Minister of KeralaChief Minister of Kerala
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the elected head of government of the state of Kerala, India. By the Constitution of India, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....
E. K. Nayanar
E. K. Nayanar
Erambala Krishnan Nayanar was a prominent Indian political leader of the Communist Party of India . He held the post of Chief Minister of Kerala three times; during 1980-81, 1987–91 and 1996-2001. He is the longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala, having been in office for a total of 4009 days,...
inaugurated the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smarakam at the poet's birth place in Kondotty
Kondotty
Kondotty is a growing town in Malappuram district, Kerala, South India. Kondotty is located near the Calicut Airport.Kondotty is famous for the Nercha in the Pazhayangadi Mosque. Kondotty is the birthplace of the great Mappila poet, Moyinkutty Vaidyar. He popularised Mappilapattu by his poems...
as a cultural centre to attract research into Mappilappattu, and its studies and interpretations in Malayalam. The centre runs certificate courses in ‘Mappilappattu’ and ‘Mappila kali’. It also has attached to it a folklore study centre, a historical museum, and a reference library containing rare manuscripts in Arabi-Malayalam and other handwritten manuscripts. Each year it conducts the Vaidyar Mahotsavam, a two or three-day festival that includes cultural and literary programmes related to all Mappila
Mappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
art forms. The Vaidyar Memorial Lecture is also delivered during the festival. In 2005, a two-volume compilation of his works was released as a book Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar, Sampoorna Krithikal by the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Samithi under the aegis of the Culture Department, Government of Kerala
Government of Kerala
The Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
. It also published a collection of essays on Moyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty Vaidyar
Moyinkutty Vaidyar , often referred to as Mahakavi , is historically considered as one of the most renown and authentic poets of the Mappila pattu genre of Malayalam language songs in Kerala state, South India.-Personal life:...
titled Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Padanangal.
On 12 June 2008, M. A. Baby
M. A. Baby
M. A. Baby is an Indian politician. He is the former Education Minister of Kerala State. He is also a Central Committee Member of Communist Party of India .-Early life:...
, Minister of Education and Culture, Government of Kerala, inaugurated the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Memorial Center for Studies and Research on Folk and Mappila Arts (SCARF) at the Vaidyar Smarakam complex. A regional centre for study of Mappila folk arts was also set up at Mogral
Mogral
-Demographics: India census, Mogral had a population of 7449 with 3647 males and 3802 females.website= www.mogralonline.com...
in Kasargode district in 2009.
Other institutions
The Kerala Mappila Kala Akademi, set up in 2001, is dedicated to this genre of music in Kerala. The Akademi awards distinguished personalities from the Mappilappattu field each year, and also provides fellowships for researchers in the field. The awards are named after popular figures in the field of Mappilappattu, like Gul Mohammed, K.K. Mohammed Abdul Kareem and Qadi Mohammed.The All Kerala Mappila Sangeetha Academy was established in 1992 and instituted the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Award and the M.S. Baburaj Award. It also holds annual arts festivals with emphasis on Mappila arts.
Conclusion
The literature of Mappila Songs represent the aspirations of the MappilaMappila
Mappila or Moplah refers to a Muslim community of Kerala, primarily in the northern region called Malabar, which arose in Malabar as a result of the pre and post Islamic Arab contacts. Significant numbers of the community are also present in the southern districts of Karnataka and western parts of...
community, its frustrations, struggles, love and affection over the ages. Littérateur M.T. Vasudevan Nair once described Mappila songs as the "cultural fountains of a bygone age". Today, increasing "cacophony" trends in newer Mappila songs and the lack of poets with a sense of imagination have attracted criticism from many corners. A large number of songs released in the last decade under the label of Mappila Songs, have been criticized for deviating from the original nature of the folk idiom and tunes, provoking a call for a preservation of the original identity of Mappila songs.
Books and references
- Mappilappattu - Padhavum Padhanavum ( Mappila songs - Study and Lessons) - Balakrishnan Vallikkunnu and Dr. Umar Tharamel, D.C. Books, 2006
- Maappilappaattinte Lokam - (The world of Mappila Songs) - V.M. Kutty D.C. Books http://www.puzha.com/malayalam/bookstore/cgi-bin/book-detail.cgi?code=1584
- Muslingalum Kerala Samskaravum - (Muslims and Kerala Culture) - P.K. Muhammad Kunhi Thrissur, 1982
- Mahathaya Mappila Sahitya Parambaryam - (The Great Mappila literary heritage) - C.N. Ahmad Moulavi & K.K. Mohammed Abdul Kareem - 1978
- Mappilappattu - by Dr. M.N. Karasseri in Malabar ed. M.G.S. NarayananM.G.S. NarayananMuttayil Govindamenon Sankara Narayanan , born on 20th August 1932, is a historian, academic and a former Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research.-Education:...
, 1994 - Mappilappaattinte Maadhuryam - T. K. HamzaT. K. HamzaT. K. Hamza is an Indian politician. He was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha, representing the Manjeri constituency of Kerala and is a member of the Communist Party of India political party.-External links:*...
- Olive Publications, Kozhikode - Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Padanangal - Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smaraka Committee , Kondotty