SEARCHING THE FOLK BACK GROUND OF MAPPILA SONGS

Dr.Hussain Randathani

Folk performing arts have developed in various parts of the country in response to certain socio-cultural and psychological needs of local people. These performing arts and traditions have contributed significantly to national integration, social change, socio-economic development and overall preservation of cultural heritage and deposits. India has a rich tradition of performing arts; in fact, there are various traditions of performing arts, which are characterized by a staggering multiplicity of genres, forms, styles and techniques. These are the living expression of the life style and culture of small communities, evolved through the ages in a variety of forms such as puppetry, shadow-play, dance, drama, narration, song, ballad and mime. Folk culture has maintained the unification between beauty and utility through the ages.

Song is an integral part of the performing arts and is found in every society. It can be found in the most diverse contexts: sacred or profane, classical or popular, closely connected to work or entertainment. There may also be a political or economic dimension to song or music: it can recount a community’s history, sing the praises of a powerful person and play a key role in economic transactions. The occasions on which music is performed are just as varied: marriages, funerals, rituals and initiations, festivities, all kinds of entertainment as well as many other social functions.

The folk lore of Malabar is unique in richness and variety. As described by K.N. Panikkar, “ its conceptualization of the divine and demonic presence in nature’s infinite forms and moods is an unending source of inspiration to man. The methods and practices of propitiating the divine and warding off the demonic had developed as part and parcel of the religious life of the people. The magical power ascribed to religious ceremonies and rituals developed into a sound aesthetic philosophy which abounded in exquisites, though esoteric art forms and performances.”[1] The culture of the Malabar region has its own significant characteristics. Sreedhara Menon, rightly says that Kerala is a meeting place of different religions. The Dravida affinity of Hinduism by worshipping Shiva along with Vishnu and close living of the people of different faiths and complete cooperation in religious festivals of different communities and the coexistence of the places of worship of different religious group are marvellous examples of amity and unity maintained by the Kerala people.[2] The local rulers of Kerala always gave official encouragement to all the communities, though the rulers always maintained their rituals and ceremonies according to the tenets of Hinduism. However, there are examples of local rulers converting themselves either to Budhism, Christianity or Islam, which in no way affected the fabric of the society. As per the traditions, it was with the conversion of one Chera ruler the Islamic religion facilitated its way into Malabar.[3]

The folk culture of the Mappila Muslims is identical with that of the rural folk in many respects. It is a blending of the rural culture with that of religious beliefs and rites. Unlike the performing arts of upper classes, the songs and performances of the rural mass was a part of their relief after their long time labour and sufferings. Since most of the Mappilas were converts from among the peasant and labour class they followed their class characters even in a changed religious atmosphere, within an Islamic fabric, thus giving birth to Mappila culture. The community very cleverly blended their culture with their alien religion, which is entirely paradoxical with their old beliefs and rituals.

The folk songs of Malabar region was originally the creation of panans who were the traditional singers in the whole Tamil region. Panan is one who sings.[4] They were untouchables , but patronized by the chiefs and the villagers. They catered to the tastes of inhabitants of different physiographic inhabitants. Their songs were a relief for the poor people who suffered out of their continuous labour and sufferings. The panan sung without break wherever he went and his lips always vibrated with songs and whatever comes out of his mouth was considered a song.[5] Often there were learned men called pulavar(composer) who composed songs to panas. While a panan is placed at the lowest ring of the social order the ranks of pulavar are included Brahmans, higher caste men and rulers.[6] The pulavars , being learned, composed their poems in chentamil in a stylish manner following the rules, while the pana songs were purely in the local kodum tamil without following any prescribed rules. Both the styles found a place in the Mappila songs. The folk groups sometimes sung to praise their lords and gods, thereby expecting some rewards or concession in the punishments. The lower-class after their adoption of new faith followed their former songs and arts with slight differences and changing the themes from their old ones to Islamic ones. Sometimes the sufis who lived mostly among the lower classes came with new songs blended in Islamic culture which also later became a part of Mappilappattu among the Mappila community as pulavar pattu among the Tamil Muslims.

V. M Kutty, the Mappila singer and composer has given a detailed version of the influence of indigenous culture in the Mappila song and has identified many Mappila songs as a version of the folk songs prevailed in Malabar and Tamil regions. The first ever known Mappila divine song called Muhyaddin Mala is a clear imitation of the mala songs prevailed in Tamil Nadu and Malabar regions, though some writers have given the mala songs an Arabic character. The Muhayddin Mala had its contemporary songs in Tamil Arabic version and the author of Mappila Muhyaddin Mala, Qazi Muhammad was very well acquainted with the Tamil version of such divine songs prevalent in Tamil Nadu region during his studies there. The classical Mappila songs written by Kunhayan Musliyar, Kappappattu, and Nool Madh, closely followed the folk styles prevalent in Malabar. Kunhayan Musliyar followed the folk style of Pulluvan pattu and Nadan pattu prevailed in Malabar. The Mudiyattam song, a peasant dance song had deeply influenced certain modes in the Kappappattu.

For Eg:

The lines of Mudiyattam

‘Edi penne ela kannee ellu karumbee

Evidechennengane nee attam padichee

Kezhakkathi ppenninte Kezhamalayinnum

Ayyattum Meyyattum Kandu Padichee

Aankeerim Penkeerim Aadum Kanakke

Ayyattum Meyyattum Kandu padiche…’ -closely resemble the following lines of Kaappattu:

“Kandittarivano Kannille pottaa

Kaarunoor chonne chol Kettille pottaa

Pandulloor Chollil Pathirundo Pottaa

Pai thanna Paalil kaippundo potta

Pattam polinjaal Parakkumoo potta

Paalam murinjaal kadakkumo potta’’[7]

The Mappila composers created metres imitating the Folk songs prevailed in the region with slight changes. Aaramba, Kappappattu, Akanthar, Kummi, Kurathi, Poiman, Adi antham and Chonnane are few examples.[8] Mr. Kutty brings similarities between the metres of Mappila songs and folk songs.

The famous Kummiyadippattu prevailed in Malabar is imitated in the Mappilappattu with same name like this:

Malayalam:

Kummiyadikkuvin, Kummiyadikkuvin

Kummiyadikkuvin Thozhimare

Kumbittu Kumbittu Kummiyadikkuvin Kummiyadikkuvin Narimare

The same style can be seen in the safala Mala Mappila song of Shujai Moidu Musliyar:
Ichayil Al pakal Adunna Kaamini

Aanandham Padunna Ammarathee

Mecham Muradei Murikkunna Uunangal

Munthi Phalippikkum Hammarathee

Ucham Kibrum Hasadum Riba Muthal

Aake Bhavippikkum Kammalathee

OchaNal nadham Karam Muttithalathil

Humkrithappenne nee Thammalathee[9]

The famous Kurathi ppattu[10] prevailed in Malabar entered into Mappila Pattu with the same theme. Here is the Kurathippattu:

Inke Vannenthineda Kuravaa

Ond Thavathukkedi Kuravee

Enkeni Pookumeda Kuravaa

Ankekkarakkelladi Kuravee

Poomkavariyumeda Kuravaa

Pourusha Thoppelladee Kuravee.

The Kurathippattu composed by Kainikkara C.A Hasan resembles the same style prevailed in Malabar among the soothsayers:

Chichilennum Chilchilennum Kalpadhathintosha

Oosha Kettee mam Aliyar pinthirinju nookkee

Nokkunneram kurathi thante varavaliyar Kande

Enth Kandu Nippen Ali Ethu Kandu Nippen

Kurathi njanum Onnu pettal pathu petta menee

Fathimabee Pathu pettal Onnu petta menee[11]

The folk songs entered in the Mappila songs cannot be measured with any formula and the metre or rhyme laws. The laws became an inevitable part in the Mappila songs only later, particularly after bringing the pulavar songs into the Mappila circle. Since the Mappilas were mostly those who worked as peasants or as khalasi[12] workers on the cost, many of their songs were intended to lessen the hardship of their jobs. The Khalasis employed by the merchants also composed their own songs with the aim of lessening the heaviness of their job. Generally in south India the Muslims as well as Hindus recited poems on their ancestors to make easy their labour and to avoid unnecessary talk while working. Thus in South India, as written by R.M Eaton there were house hold songs connected with occupations in the village. The most common types included the Chakki Namah, so called because it was sung while grinding food grains at the grind stone called chakki, and charkhah namh while spinning thread at the spinning wheel or charkha. Then there were shadi namah or marriage songs, suhagan namah (married women’s song) or suhaila or eulogistic song.[13] These kind of songs sung by Mappilas while doing their work is a resemblance of the songs prevailed among the people who did the same work with only difference that the Mappilas added an Islamic tinge to these songs. What the Mappilas did was to adapt the simplest elements of Islamic doctrine to the already existing vehicle of folk poetry and to substitute vernacular Mappila dialect for vernacular Malabar dialect. The songs often had no meaning but the rhythm was more than enough for their relief as the song among the timber workers while pushing the wood through the waters:

Hailasa Hailasa

Hobla Malee Hylasa

Thallada Pokkare Hylasa

Palla Payiche Hylasa

Kuttoosakkutty Pottathiye Kettiye

Pottathi patham masathil pette

Hylasa Hylasa

Hobla Malee Hylasa[14]

Mappila poets had taken stylkes of all the regional folk songs like Koithupattu( harvest song), Njattupattu[15], Panar pattu ( songs of pana caste), Pulluvan pattu (song of pulluvan caste). If we examine the modes of the Mappilappattu it is found that many ishals had similarities with the dravida modes like Keka, Kakali, Manjari, Nathonnatha and Ottan thullal etc. The following ishals are synonymous with the Dravidian styles:

Akanthar- Kodakkar Mukil

Poyimaan- Kurathippattu

Chonnavan-Thuyilunarthu pattu

Imaan Kavi- Pancha Chamaram

Chollinaan- Pazhungakkalippattu

Moyin Kutty after studying Malayalam, Persian, Arabic and Tamil poems used mixed forms in his Mappila songs by borrowing language, metres, and styles from all these languages. Mr. Ibrahim asserts that Vaidyar was deeply influenced by Manipravaalam, mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit in his poems. At the same time Vaidyar changed the tedious Sanskrit words into vernacular ones by adding slight changes without changing the metres.[16] This is done by imitating the Tamil styles like Valithal (Changing nasal sounds into stiff ones), Melithal (Changing stiff sounds to nasal sounds),Neettal ( stretching the short ones), Kurukkal (shortening the long words into short ones), Parathal ( inserting a sound in the line), Thokathal (leaving a sound in the line). He also had adopted the Tamil Arabic styles called Kambi, Kazhuth, Vaal Kambi, Valumma kambi, Idakkazhuth, Nadukkambi etc., in his songs. However, the models of Mappila ishals like Thonkal, Chayal, Chayal murukkam, Oppana, Oppana Murukkam, pukainaar, Athithan poothi, Nadanthaar, Adal poruthu, Ali Valiyullah, Hakkana , Thadaki Manathe, manath maran, Kappappattu, Akasham Bhumi etc., can be seen in the Niranam poetical works of Malayalam. This may be because of the influence of Tamil both in Niranam poetry and Mappila songs. Suranattu Kunhan pillai after analyzing the ishals of Moyin Kutty Vaidyar brings out their resemblance with the Dravidian metres in the following way:

Thongal-Kaikottikkali

Arambam- Maveli Naadu Vaanidum Kaalam

Adhi ANtham- Enthu Sanjaya Chollu Chollu

Pukainaar- Vanchippaattu

Akanthar –Kodakkarmukil

Chembakam- Dhandakam

Karular- Naranaayingane

Poyimaan- Kurathippattu

Chennavanum- Thuyilunarthpattu

Eemaan Kavi- Panch Chamaram

Chollinaan- Antha naagam (pazhunga kalippattu)

Aadi aruma porul- Manjari prose

Vittathayuru peshalaam-Oman Kuttan

Arshile Qadam- Naranayingane

Chonnar Kavikal- Ardha Keka enanayane

Sundaran- Kalendu Vadana[17]

The Malayalam poets like Cherusseri, Kunjan Nambiar, Unnayi Varier and Ezhuthachan had highly influenced the songs of Moyin Kutty Vaidyar. T. Ubaid, O. Abu and other brought the Mappila songs more akin to Malayalam styles by introducing pure Malayalam words by replacing Tamil ones.

The Mappilas , thus articulated a unique culture rooted in the folk tradition of the region which maintained their identity through their togetherness and life culture after their conversion to Islam. The alien styles found among the Arabs and other Muslim races were successfully brought together through their symbiotic life. As observed by Raghavan Payyanad, the Mappila Muslims maintained their identical culture by living in the middle of other communities with a life of giving and taking and protecting their identity. This identity is evident in all walks of life.[18] The Mappila folk lore is at the same time an extension of the folk lore existed in Malabar and many of them are of later origin. Here the large scale conversion of the downtrodden people and their mingling with the Muslims of urban character brought a change in the life structure by accepting the Muslim character of the Arab lands, but not leaving their regional folk rhythms. This kind of synthesized folk type traits are evident in their stories, proverbs, rituals, ceremonies, festivals, dialects, food habits, dress habits and attitudes. Mr. Muhammad Kunhi brings out two characteristics of the Mappila folk lore – one,the special vision it brought in the realms of belief and rituals and customs and second, the road of synthesis it brought despite these distinctions.[19] The Mappila dressed in his traditional attire with his kanchi frock, white cap or simple turban, his waist band and knife- all make him distinct not only from his Arab counterpart but also from the other Indians. This distinction is kept through his different professions, as a trader or a peasant. Everywhere his language is different; his food and dress are different and his jokes and proverbs are different. His songs are his own even though he is indebted to different cultures and countries for moulding his distinct culture. His heroes and heroines, such as prophet Muhammad, Ali, Hassan, Husyn , Aminah, Khadija, Fathima or Maryam , though came from Arab stoke, he amalgamated these characters with his own Mappila culture. Thus we see a fathima conversing with a sooth sayer or kurathi, or fathima mentioned in the folk song called Kuppippattu, or Ali of the Muslim stories re written with a Mappila back ground. Mappila moulded his religious culture synthesizing many of his beliefs with the existing folk culture. This was done often undermining the religious taboos prescribed by the ulama. Marumakkathayam system, the Mosque architecture, the urs festivals, the performing arts, soothsaying, folk beliefs, horoscope, occultism – all became his favourites , though many of them was prevented by the religion. The force of synthesis of the Malabar Muslims with the Indigenous culture was so strong that, even religious injunctions couldn’t prevent it.