Folk Music Malayalam

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Themusic of Kerala has a complex history distinct from Malayalam poetry, though much of it is poetry-driven. Kerala has a rich tradition in Carnatic music. Songs have been a significant part of early Malayalam literature, which dates back to the 9th century CE.[1] The significance of music in Kerala's culture is evident from the fact that musical poetry in the Malayalam language developed long before prose. As music evolved in the region, various branches emerged from it.

Malayalam poetry up to the late 20th century CE exhibits varying degrees of fusion among three distinct strands. The oldest examples of Pattu (classical songs) are Ramacharitam and Vaishikatantram, both from the 12th century. These works play a significant role in defining the cultural heritage of Kerala.

Kerala is renowned for Sopana Sangeetham, a form of classical music originating in the temples of the region. Sopanam, its precursor, has religious roots and evolved through the chanting of invocatory songs at the Kalam of Kali, later extending to performances inside temples. Its popularity surged with the increasing fame of Jayadeva's Gita Govinda or Ashtapadis. Sopana Sangeetham, meaning "music of the steps," is typically sung beside the holy steps (sopanam) leading to the sanctum sanctorum of a shrine. It is sung with plain notes, often accompanied by the idakka, a small hourglass-shaped drum, and the chengila, a metallic gong for rhythm. Traditionally, Sopanam is performed by men from the Marar and Pothuval communities, who belong to Ambalavasi (semi-Brahmin) castes and have inherited the practice as their profession. Notable sopanam singers include Neralattu Rama Poduval, Janardhanan Nedungadi, and Damodara Marar.[2]

Kerala is renowned for its contributions to Carnatic music. Notable figures such as Swati Tirunal, Irayimman Thampi, Shadkala Govinda Marar, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, V. Dakshinamoorthy, P Leela, K. J. Yesudas, K.G Jayan (Jayavijaya), Palghat Mani Iyer, Vidwan Gopala Pillai, Chertala Gopalan Nair, M. D. Ramanathan, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, M. K. Sankaran Namboothiri, Mavelikara Krishnankutty Nair, Neyyattinkara Mohanachandran, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan, T. N. Krishnan, and T S Nandakumar have emerged as prominent musical exponents from the region.[2] In the younger generation, individuals like L. Athira Krishna, a child prodigy violinist, and P. Unnikrishnan, a Carnatic vocalist, have garnered recognition in the international music scene, contributing to the preservation and continuation of the rich tradition of Carnatic music.

The popular music of Kerala has evolved alongside its classical music tradition until they diverged. Film music has played a significant role in enriching the popular music scene in Kerala. Other forms of popular music include light music, pop music, and devotional songs.

The songs used in Kathakali performances are typically in Manipravalam, a blend of Malayalam and Sanskrit. While most songs adhere to ragas from Carnatic music, they are rendered in a distinctive style known as the Sopanam style, which is rooted in Kerala's temple singing tradition. Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair was one of the foremost artists in this field. Kalamandalam, located in Vallathol Nagar near Shornur, Thrissur, is a prominent training center for Kathakali. Despite initial resistance due to its association with temple art, Kathakali gained widespread popularity, with artists like Hyderali transcending cultural barriers. However, Hyderali's interpretation softened the original Asura nature of the art. Kalamandalam Gangadharan, one of the last proponents of the traditional style, has largely retired from active performance.

Film music, a genre synonymous with playback singing in Indian music, holds significant cultural prominence nationwide. In Kerala, film music stands out as the most widely embraced form of musical expression, enjoying widespread popularity among the state's populace.[4] Before the emergence of Malayalam cinema and its distinct film music, the people of Kerala avidly followed Tamil and Hindi film songs, a practice that persists to this day. The history of Malayalam film songs traces back to the 1948 film Nirmala, produced by Artist P.J. Cherian, which marked the introduction of playback singing in Malayalam cinema. The film's music composer was P. S. Divakar, and the songs were rendered by P. Leela, T. K. Govinda Rao, Vasudeva Kurup, C. K. Raghavan, Sarojini Menon, and Vimala B. Varma, credited as the first playback singer in Malayalam cinema.[5]

K. J. Yesudas, who made his debut in 1961, and P. Jayachandran significantly influenced the Malayalam film music industry, becoming widely acclaimed along with K.S. Chitra. The trio of Vayalar, G. Devarajan, and Yesudas produced unforgettable songs, akin to the earlier trio of Kamukara, Tirunainaarkurichy, and Brother Laxmanan. Yesudas gained popularity not only among film music enthusiasts but also within the classical music audience.[7] He, along with P. Jayachandran, significantly contributed to the evolution of Malayalam playback singing during the 1960s and 1970s. K. S. Chithra, who made her debut in 1979, rose to prominence by the mid-eighties, becoming one of the most sought-after female singers in South India.

By the late 1970s, there was a shift in musical trends towards more rhythm-oriented songs with a Western touch, led by music directors like Shyam, K. J. Joy, and Jerry Amaldev. During this period, lyricists often had to adapt their lyrics to fit the tunes, which sometimes led to criticism regarding the quality of the songs. However, from 1979 to 1980, music directors such as Raveendran, Johnson, and M. G. Radhakrishnan spearheaded a second reformation of Malayalam film music, creating melodious and classical-oriented compositions rooted in the cultural heritage of Kerala. Lyricists like Poovachal Khader, Kavalam Narayana Panicker, and Bichu Thirumala in the 1980s, and Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri and Gireesh Puthenchery in the 1990s, played significant roles in this musical transformation. Contributions from composers like Kannur Rajan, Bombay Ravi, S. P. Venkatesh, Mohan Sithara, Ouseppachan, Sharath, Vidyadharan, Raghukumar, and Vidyasagar were also notable during this period. Singers such as K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra, M. G. Sreekumar, G. Venugopal, Unni Menon, and Sujatha Mohan were active during this time as well. A notable aspect in the later years was the extensive use of classical Carnatic music in many film songs of the 1980s and 1990s, with films like Chithram (1988), His Highness Abdullah (1990), Bharatham (1991), Sargam (1992), and Sopanam (1993) incorporating classical Carnatic elements.[citation needed]

Currently, prominent figures in the Malayalam music scene include composers such as M. Jayachandran, Bijibal, Rex Vijayan, Rahul Raj, Prashant Pillai, Shaan Rahman, Sushin Shyam, Jakes Bejoy, Gopi Sundar, Alphonse, and Rajesh Murugesan. Notable lyricists include Rafeeq Ahmed, Anwar Ali, B. K. Harinarayanan, Vinayak Sasikumar, and Vayalar Sarath, while singers like Vineeth Sreenivasan, Vijay Yesudas, Shweta Mohan, Manjari, and Jyotsna Radhakrishnan also contribute significantly to the industry, among others.

The Malabar region of Kerala, known for its significant Muslim population, has developed a distinctive music tradition influenced by Hindustani styles. This tradition encompasses various forms, including ghazals and mappila pattu, as well as music for traditional Muslim dance forms like oppana and kolkali. Poetry plays a central role in this musical stream, which is primarily in Malayalam but incorporates Arabic words, creating a linguistic blend known as Arabimalayalam. Mappila songs are particularly notable for their unique charm, reflecting a fusion of Kerala's local culture and the influences of West Asia. These songs cover a wide range of themes, including religion, love, satire, and heroism.

The Knanaya, an ethnic group within the St. Thomas Christians, preserve ancient folk songs that were first documented in 1910 by Knanaya scholar P.U. Luke in his text Puratana Pattukal (Ancient Songs). The origins of these songs are unknown; they were collected by Luke from Knanaya families who had preserved them on palm leaf manuscripts. Written in Old Malayalam, these songs also contain elements of Sanskrit, Syriac, and Tamil, indicating their antiquity. The content of these songs includes folklore about the community's faith, customs, and practices, narratives of historical events such as the mission of St. Thomas the Apostle and the immigration of the Knanaya to India, biblical stories, songs dedicated to churches, and the lives of saints. These poetic songs are regarded as significant treasures in Kerala's cultural heritage.[8] Scholars have observed that the songs of the Knanaya share similar composition, linguistic features, and characteristics with those of the Cochin Jews. Some songs are found to have nearly identical lyrics, differing only in a few words or stanzas.

Ottamthullal songs are composed specifically for the performance of the art form known as Ottamthullal. The performer sings and dances to the music. Unlike Kathakali, the language used in Ottamthullal is not heavily Sanskritized Malayalam, and the lyrics are set to rhythms that vary from simple to complex. Traditionally, Ottamthullal performances were held in temples.

Pop music in Kerala saw development in the latter half of the 1990s with the emergence of East Coast Vijayan and his music company, East Coast Audios. Vijayan is considered a pioneer of non-film pop album songs in Kerala. As a poet himself, he wrote the lyrics for the first non-film music album in Malayalam, Ninakkai, which was released in 1998.[9] The music for the album was composed by Balabhaskar, and the song Ninakkay Thozhi Punarjanikkam, sung by Biju Narayanan, gained significant popularity. In 1999, Vijayan released his second album in the 'Ninakkai' series titled Aadhyamai, with music composed by Balabhaskar and lyrics by Vijayan. The song Iniyarkkum Arodum, sung by K. J. Yesudas, also became a hit. In 2001, East Coast released Ormakkai, widely regarded as one of the biggest hits in the history of Malayalam Pop Music. The song Ormakkai Iniyoru Snehageetham from the album, composed by M. Jayachandran and penned by Vijayan, and sung by K. J. Yesudas and K. S. Chithra, is considered an all-time classic hit.

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