Mappila songs
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.
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.
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.
Songs like the Kappappattu and Safalamaala by Shujayi Moidu Musaliyar[11] conveyed 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.
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 Jenmi landlords.
This song was actually an Arabi-Malayalam translation of the Tamil work Zakkoon Padayppor composed by Varishay Mukiyudheen Poolavar of Madurai in 1686.
[15] 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.
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.
[23][24][25] 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).
[19] Pulikkottil Hyder, born in 1879 at Wandoor was a popular poet who composed short songs in Arabi-Malayalam on topics of common interest, often attacking social evils.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The songs on the Malappuram shahids provide the earliest description of an armed struggle between the Mappilas and the Jenmi landlord class in the pre-Mysore era.
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.
The famous Nafeesath Mala by Nalakath KunhiMoideen Kutty praises a woman named Nafeesa, who belonged to the lineage of the Prophet.
[11][50] 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.
[50] 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.
[8][10] Songs of Moyinkutty Vaidyar used to be sung and explained to public audiences in what was known as Seera Parayana Sadassu (history recital sessions).
Well-known poets like P. Krishna Kumar, P. Bhaskaran,[51] 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.
[54] Some of the movies that prominently include songs of this genre are Mailanchi, Pathinalamravu, Ulpathi, Sammanam, Manya Maha Janangale, Sammelanam, 1921 and Marc Antony.
S. M. Koya 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.
[62] The other prominent personalities associated with this genre of music include:[58][63][64] In 1999, then Chief Minister of Kerala E. K. Nayanar inaugurated the Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Smarakam at the poet's birthplace in Kondotty as a cultural centre to attract research into Mappilappattu, and its studies and interpretations in Malayalam.
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.
Today, increasing "cacophony" trends in newer Mappila songs and the lack of poets with a sense of imagination have attracted criticism from many corners.
