History
Malabar Muslim song tradition drawing on Arabic-Malayalam poetic culture and coastal life.
Music Traditions
Mappila Pattu
Malabar Muslim song tradition of devotion, romance, and community life.
About
Mappila Pattu is the song tradition of Kerala’s Mappila community. Themes range from devotion to love and social life, carried in distinctive Malayalam–Arabic flavoured verse and melody.
Category
Music Traditions
Type
Community song tradition
Notes
Mappila lyrical and melodic style
Where to see
Malabar cultural programmes and celebrations
Origin district
Malabar — Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, and Kasaragod.
Community/tradition
Mappila community singers and poets.
Costume
Traditional mundu/veshti and festival upper cloth, or community festive dress.
Makeup
None.
Musical instruments
Duff, arabana, and handclaps with voice.
Performance occasions
Weddings, community festivals, and cultural stages.
Famous artists
Leading ensemble masters and traditional singers of the repertoire.
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