Mappila song

Mappila songs (or Mappila Paattu) are a folklore Muslim song genre rendered to lyrics, within a melodic framework (Ishal), in Arabi Malayalam by the Mappilas of the Malabar region in Kerala, India. Mappila songs have a distinct cultural identity, while at the same time remain closely linked to the cultural practices of Kerala. The songs often use words from Persian, Hindustani, and Tamil, apart from Arabic and Malayalam, but the grammatical syntax is always based in Malayalam. They deal with themes such as religion, love, satire, and heroism, and are often sung at occasions of birth, marriage, and death. Mappila Paattu form an integral part of the heritage of Malayalam literature today and is regarded by some as the most popular branch of Malayalam literature, enjoyed by all Malayali communities in Kerala and Beary speaking communities of Karnataka . History Mappila songs have been in circulation for over seven centuries, with the first dated work Muhyidheen Mala attributed to Qadi Muhammad in 1607 AD. Thereafter a large number of literary materials were produced in this medium; one authority has calculated that of these more than 1600 items, complete or fragmentary, were known by 1976. Over the centuries, various types of Mappila Pattu were composed, in accordance with the religious and political surroundings in the lives of the Mappilas of Malabar. 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. Early works