Songs of the Soil The history and evolution of the music of Kerala

 Music becomes a vehicle of human emotions only when it encompasses the spoken tongue of the people of the region where it takes birth, and reflects their lifestyles. No matter how evolved a language is, having undergone changes in accordance with the needs and desires of the community and gained widespread acceptance, it will always retain some of the qualities of its original ancestor. Besides, even in its most refined form it will continue to reverberate with the raw power of its prototype. The musical legacy of Kerala can be seen to exhibit this self-same thread of continuity that is the hallmark of a living, throbbing tradition. The traditional music of Kerala originated from Adivasi (indigenous) music, drew sustenance from folk music, gradually took on a structured form, and grew more sophisticated before it reached the heights of its present ‘classical’ status. In fact, it is possible to observe a step-by-step and natural growth pattern in this phenomenon. Even the music of Vedic chants, that was subjected to continuous modification, borrowed elements from Adivasi music, and was fed by the wellsprings of Vedic music of other regions.

The variety we see in the curricula of the Vedas is proof of this fact. If we dig deep, we will be able to trace the roots of the desi or regional musical tradition of Kerala back to this ancient Adivasi-Vedic link. After the regional musical tradition acquired form and spirit, it gave birth to several offspring, each with its own unique features – Sopana Sangeetham, Kalathil Pattu, Theeyattu Pattu, Mudiyettu Pattu, Padayani Pattu, Bhadrakali Pattu, Sarpam Pattu, Ayyappan Pattu, Kanyarkali Pattu, Cherumangala Pattu, Deivakolattu Pattu, Vadakkan Pattu, Pakkanar Pattu, Bharani Pattu, Bhagavata Pattu, Onavillu Pattu, Kathirvela Pattu, Chinthu Pattu, Chattu Pattu, Paanar Pattu, Thuyilunarthu Pattu and many, many more. Some of them were inextricably connected with temple rituals; others with classical art forms like Koodiyattom, Kathakali, Thullal, Mohiniyattom, Ashtapadiyattom and so on; yet others with folk dance forms like Thiruvathirakali, Chimmanakali, Kurathiyattom, Vilpattu, Dappukali, Porattukali, Kalankali, Mangalamkali and so on. Some were patronized or practised by certain specific castes. Others developed a more scientific technique of rendition and evolved into classical music. Simultaneously, a ‘Margi’ musical tradition came into being, and struck roots deep into the Kerala soil. With the arrival of Carnatic music, many more musical streams took birth like drama songs, film songs, light music and so on, each with its distinct attributes. The evolution of all these branches has made the musical tradition of Kerala rich and varied on an unprecedented scale.

The Musical Structure of Koodiyattom

Among all the extant theatre forms in Kerala, Koodiyattom is considered the oldest. Estimated to be nearly 2,000 years old, this art form gained UNESCO recognition in 2001. Most of the classical art forms of Kerala are known by the generic term Attom. Koodiyattom, Ramanattom, Krishnanattom and Mohiniyattom are examples. Attom is the desi or regional version of what was known as Natyam in the Margi tradition.It denotes a harmonious blend and performance of four components – Geetham (lyric), Vadyam (instrumental music), Nrittam (dance) and Abhinayam (acting). Natyam involves an imitation of an action. But Attom encompasses all the four aspects of Abhinayam – angikam (body gestures), vachikam (utterances), sattvikam (mental states) and aharyam (costume, make-up and scenery) – and all the main aspects of Natyam, namely Geetham, Vadyam and Nrittam. Thus, Koodiyattom is a complete art form that is derived from tribal culture but built on a classic framework. Among all these components, vachika abhinayam enjoys the pride of place because of its unique features. It is also known as Swarikkal, that is, it is composed on the solid foundation of certain tunes with prose and verse (the two components of vaachikam) intermixed and presented in a specific style. (What needs to be emphasized is that this has absolutely no connection with either the manner of enunciation that is followed in Vedic chants or the rule-based configuration of swaras in Carnatic music.) The stylization involved in the linking of conversational bits and verses in Koodiyattom is markedly different from that followed in other art forms. The suggestive power of this kind of stylization makes acting very nuanced and sophisticated. And there are twentythree different types of stylizations used in Koodiyattom!

Ashtapadiyattom – The Singing of Couplets

It was during the time of Swami Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (15-16th century CE) that India witnessed the resurgence of Vaishnavism. As a result, the stories of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna began to get presented on various stages throughout the country. Among them, the most famous is Gita Govinda by Jayadeva. The huge popularity it enjoyed in Kerala is evident in the emergence of a whole new art form called Ashtapadiyattom. It epitomised the beautiful confluence of lyric and instrumental music, dance and acting, centuries before even Kathakali came into being in Kerala. The central focus of Ashtapadiyattom is the love between Radha and Krishna. It is a work that presents bhakti (religious devotion) and shringara (romance) in equal proportions, and imparts great aesthetic pleasure to the spectators. Gita Govinda is written in 12 cantos which contain a total of 24 ashtapadis (each ashtapadi is a stringing together of eight [ashta] couplets [padas]) and 92 verses [shlokas]. Three other art forms followed in the footsteps of Ashtapadiyattom in Kerala – Ramanattom,Krishnanattom and Kathakali. All of them are auditory and visual treats that give equal importance to vocal and instrumental music as well as dance.

Krishnanattom

Krishnanattom is an artform that combines the techniques of Ashtapadiyattom and Koodiyattom. It is a theatrical performance based on Krishnageethi composed entirely in Sanskrit by Manavedan, one of the Zamorins who ruled the Malabar region of Kerala. The training sessions of Krishnanattom are entirely different from those of Kathakali. It has a distinct identity as a ritual art form and is performed only within the precincts of the famous Guruvayoor temple in Thrissur. In Krishnanattom, the players of instruments – maddalam (percussion instrument), chengila (gong) and ilathalam (small cymbal) – occupy the background while the actors take the centre stage. The musical instruments are the same as those used in Sopana Sangeetham. The vocal music of Krishnanattom and Sopana Sangeetham exhibit considerable resemblance in terms of Akaraalaapanam [singing by using the vowel sound /a/] as well as a detailed rendition of the ragas. The patterns of rhythm that are used exclusively in Kerala – chemba, chembada, adantha, ekam and so on – and the ragas used in Carnatic music are used in Krishnanattom.

Ramanattom

Ramanattom is the prototype of Kathakali. Covering all the major events in the life of Lord Rama – from his birth to his war against King Ravana and right up to his coronation – Ramanattom is performed through the course of eight consecutive days. It was written by the King of Kottarakkara in the 17th century. What the padas or couplets of Ramanattom inaugurated was an entirely new and superior kind of artform, in terms of artistic and literary value. It is different from and simpler than Krishnageethi. Precisely for that reason, Ramanattom is more popular. By the time of its birth, people of all castes – from the brahmins to the rest in the caste hierarchy – had gained freedom to present their art forms. As a result, performances that were exclusively associated with temple rituals began to get staged outside the temple premises, and became accessible to all. With vachika abhinaya gaining ascendancy, and singers becoming more prominent in course of time, acting and singing climbed to higher levels of sophistication. Both performers, that is, actors and singers, used the opportunity to project their expertise, and this was instrumental in the audio-visual treat that would evolve through the magical genre of Kathakali.

Kathakali Music

The birth of Kathakali music constitutes a watershed moment in the tradition of music in Kerala. As an art form, Kathakali is famous for its acting, literary sophistication and music. Kathakali music evolved out of Ramanattom, and has been built over the foundation of the temple ritual of Sopana Sangeetham that is an offshoot of Ashtapadi music. The most prominent aspect of Kathakali is the potential it has for acting. Each word of the shlokas or songs can be performed in various tempos. And the rendition of its music, with immense scope for improvisation, gives the actors plenty of space to exercise their artistic freedom. However, it does not follow the detailed exposition of ragas as is done in Carnatic music or give importance to briga (an improvisation where more notes are packed within the same duration in which only fewer notes are usually sung). The introduction of “Manjuthara . . .” – the twenty-first ashtapadi of Gita Govinda – formed a milestone in the development of Kathakali music. The musical composition was done by the King of Kottayam, a scholar who had categorized ragas according to the time of the day or night when they should be sung. If the King of Kottarakkara, the creator of Ramanattom, gave prominence to bhakti or religious devotion in his work, the King of Kottayam highlighted the beauty of intermingling shringara (romance), veera (valour), roudra (fury) and hasya (humour). Another significant point in the evolution of Kathakali music was the composition of the famous Nalacharitam (the story of King Nala, narrated in the Mahabharata) by Unnayi Warrier in the 18th century. The songs of Nalacharitam are known and appreciated for their simple vocabulary and mellifluous combination of phrases. Performed in four parts, the second part of Nalacharitam (called Nalacharitam, randaam divasam, in Malayalam) is the favourite of Kathakali aficionados, especially because it contains the song “Kuvalaya vilochane . . .” rendered in Thodi raga, set to adantha thalam and sung in a slow tempo. Although the dominant rasa is shringara, it is further enriched by valsalya (parental affection), veera (valour), and as the story progresses, by krodha (anger) and jugupsa (disgust), accompanied by all their attendant emotional effects. A contemporary of Unnayi Warrier, Irayimman Thampi is famous for his composition of three Kathakali attakathas (dance-stories) – Keechaka Vadham, Uttara Swayamvaram and Daksha Yagam. Ragas like Thodi, Bhairavi, Sankarabharanam and others that are commonly used in Carnatic music are popular in Kathakali music as well. However, certain other ragas, that are considered Kerala’s very own, namely Padi, Maradhanasi, Puraneeru, Khandaram, Indisha and Korakuginji, are rendered meticulously. In this manner, although many ragas that had been in use in the ancient Dravida culture of Kerala have been infused into modern Carnatic music, their original identities have been retained. What is more, they continue to be used in Kerala’s indigenous music genres of Sopana and Kathakali music too.

Sopana Sangeetham

Sopana Sangeetham belongs to the desi tradition of Kerala. It has been composed in such a way as to follow a structured pattern of rhythms. Also known as Nadakkal Pattu (because it is sung in front of the nada [the sanctum sanctorum] of the temple) and Kottipadiseva (drumming-and-singing in service of the deity), this classical genre draws inspiration and life from Adivasi and folk tradition of devotional music. Even as it evolved over centuries, Sopana Sangeetham always reflected the regional culture and the pulse of the people. Like gharanas in Hindustani music, there are distinct schools within Sopana Sangeetham too, called baani. Some of them are Ramamangalam, Pallashana, Pallavoor, Thirumandhamkunnu, Pazhoor, Guruvayoor, Vaikom, Chottanikkara and so on, each with its distinct characteristics. What is significant is that they were a vibrant and rich presence in the rituals in temples until recently. It was Kunjan Nambiar who systematized the rhythms of Sopana Sangeetham. The rhythms influence music in the form of metre. The dominance of rhythms in the Sopana songs composed by Kunjan Nambiar are a proof of this phenomenon. In fact, in this musical genre, rhythm plays a more decisive role than pitch. Sopana Sangeetham thus derives life and sustenance from its dependence on the pattern of the human heart beat.

Carnatic Music

Carnatic music made its entry into Kerala during the time of Swati Thirunal (1813-’46). During his brief life, he used up 15 years for promoting and enriching it, writing 400-500 songs, composing their music, and arranging their performances by various artistes. Besides this, he inspired many talented singers and instrumentalists to come to Kerala in order to popularize Carnatic music. In course of time, this led to the evolution of a fixed format for Carnatic songs comprising pallavi, anupallavi and charanam. Padas, javalis and thillanas too became very popular. The forerunners of Carnatic music in Kerala were Swati Thirunal, Shadkala Govinda Marar, Irayimman Thampi, Mullamoottil Vadivelu and others. Later, Swathi Thirunal took the initiative to introduce Hindustani music into Kerala with the help of Thanjavur Rangayyer, the sarangi expert Thanjavur Chintamani, the veena expert Cholapuram Raghunatha Rao, Tyagaraja’s pupil Kannayya Bhagavatar and others. Sangeetha Chandrika written by Ayoor Krishna Pisharody in the 20th century is a significant contribution to the field of music. Light music was another small genre that drew inspiration from Carnatic music.

Margamkali Pattu

Margamkali is a prominent dance form among the Syrian Christian community of Kerala, and Margamkali Pattu is the genre of songs used in its performance. This art form has a history spanning approximately 500 years in Kerala. The narrative of Margamkali primarily revolves around the historical visit of St. Thomas the Apostle to Kerala in AD 52. Many historians claim that Margamkali bears significant similarities to the Sanghakali performed by the Namboothiri community in Kerala. Over the past 500 years, this art form has undergone various changes and modernizations. Initially, Margamkali focused solely on the history of St. Thomas, but later, it incorporated various contemporary social issues. Additionally, while only men performed Margamkali in the early days, women also began participating in this dance form later on. Margamkali is presented in stages, starting with community dance to songs, moving on to combat-focused Parichamutt, and finally to a dance akin to Kummi. Similarly, Sanghakali among the Namboothiris was performed in a comparable style. The rhythm for Margamkali songs is maintained by clapping hands, with no other instruments used.

Mappila Pattu

Mappila Pattu is one of the most significant musical genres celebrated by the Muslim community in Kerala. The connection between Arabs and India, and consequently Kerala, dates back over a thousand years. This relationship remained robust until the arrival of the Portuguese in Kerala around the 15th century. During this period, Arabs made numerous contributions to the cultural landscape of India and Kerala. It is an undeniable part of our history that many changes in India’s musical sphere were influenced by Arabs. Indian classical music split into Hindustani and Carnatic music around the 13th – 14th centuries. Hindustani music developed in North India under the influence of Arabic music. Today, this music form is enjoyed not only across India but worldwide. In foreign countries, Hindustani music is commonly referred to as Indian music Regarding popular music, Mappila Pattu in Kerala boasts a history spanning almost a millennium. Mappila Pattu literature predominantly uses the regional Mappila style of the Malayalam language. Additionally, some Mappila Pattu have been composed by modifying Sanskrit meters. The rhythmic patterns of Mappila Pattu tunes are found to have foundations in the Dravidian musical tradition of the region and are known as Ishals. Similarly, the rhyming verses of Mappila Pattu are also deeply connected to this Dravidian heritage. Mappila Pattu is a significant branch of music that cannot be distinguished from our cinematic music. Although Mappila Pattu gained its name in the 20th century, this genre of songs has existed as part of our history under various names.

Drama Songs

The presence of pure music in theatrical presentations has been recorded nowhere in the world except in India. Kerala too has its tradition of drama songs, and it continues to be a strong presence to this day. The first Malayalam drama song was sung during the staging of the KPAC (Kerala People’s Arts Club) play Ente Makanaanu Sheri [My Son is Right]. The lyricist was Punalur Balan. The earliest singers for KPAC plays were KPAC Sulochana, K. S. George and P. Leela. Later, the plays produced and staged by various acompanies, including the Kalidasa Kala Kendra, featured songs whose popularity equalled those of film songs. They were written and set to music by stalwarts like O. N. V. Kurup, L. P. R. Varma, Devarajan, K. Raghavan and others.

Film Songs

During its initial stages, Malayalam film industry could not boast of original musical scores. The songs borrowed heavily from Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films. In 1948, Kerala Talkies owned by P. J. Cherian came into being. The first film it exhibited was Nirmala through which Malayalam playback music made its entry for the first time. Until then, actors would stand in front of the movie camera and sing, in much the same way as it was done on stage. The first Malayalam films used to have 30-40 songs each! Balan had 23; Prahaladan, 24; Jnanambika, 14! In course of time, Malayalam film industry grew, acquired its own identity, and gave birth to a new and colourful entertainment culture. Malayalam film music was nourished by many, extraordinarily talented film directors, music composers and singers. Thousands of film songs were created, and some of the most famous names in the field are K. J. Yesudas, K. S. Chitra, S. Janaki, P. Leela and others. Today, Malayalam film music has become the virtual life-breath of contemporary culture in Kerala.