music

Music of Kerala is thought to be as old as her people and their culture. When it emerged out of its hoary past to become a reality, many branches of music became prominent, that is the folk music, which remained as a starch root, providing nourishment to all its off shoots, the vaideeka or the sacred line of music, which later on developed into marga sangeet to dwell in the sanctum sanctorum of the Arya and Dravida temples and their traditional theatrical set ups, laukeeka or the secular line which gradually became the body and spirit of desi sangeet, to prosper under the patronage of kings and the public and the natya line which was nothing but the blissful imitation of the three if not their fusion, to exist in between them, initially, at the temple stages, and gradually, sections of them finding their way into the royal courts and public places, after due transformations and adjustments.

Kerala has a place of its own in Carnatic Music field. Kerala became famous after Swathi Thirunal, the erstwhile ruler of Travancore. Swathi Thirunal was a musician-cum-composer of high calibre. His period of reign was ‘Augustan Age of Kerala Music.’ The immortal tharattu or the lullaby, ‘Omanathinkal kidavo’ was composed by his uncle Irayimman Thampi. Shadkala Govinda Marar, the renowned singer, had enjoyed the patronage of the Swathi Thirunal. Kerala is musically known for Sopana sangeetham. The characteristic features of this music are in its simple structure and peculiar forms of expression. Sopanam is religious in nature, and developed through singing songs for invocation at the Kalam of goddess Kali that is floor drawing of Kali and later inside temples. Some famous singers are Neralattu Rama Poduval, Janardhanan Nedungadi and Damodara Marar. Kerala is also home for Carnatic music. Legends like Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was best known for his metallic voice. Popular singers like Yesudas and others have continued the tradition in Kerala.