Lakshadweep music, like its culture is reminiscent of Kerala because the people who inhabit Lakshadweep originally hailed from Kerala. Even the language used, i.e. Malayalam, is same for both the places.
Till 7 th century the predominating religion was Hinduism which changed later with the coming of arrival of Hazrat Ubaidullah and today 93% of the population of Lakshadweep are Muslims. Over the years, these incidents resulted in the development of a new cultural fabric interwoven with the old. Today, music of Lakshadweep is highly influenced by Islam.
Singing folk ballads depicting stories of the historical past is common during family occasions and festivities. The theme varies from incidents relating to the arrival of Hazrat Ubaidullah in the archipelago of Lakshadweep, to, the ransack of the islands by the Portuguese. The balladeer with his immense talent keeps everybody engaged in the stories. Marriage performances invariably see 'Opana' that refers to a song sung by a lead singer and followed immediately by a group of women.
The popular dance forms of Lakshadweep like the Kolkali dance, Parichakali dance, Lava dance and others are accompanied by songs that are typical to the dance itself. They are sung in accompaniment of various folk musical instruments. The beautiful archipelago of Lakshadweep with its picturesque islands fill with the echo of the folk music as the simple people gather together to enjoy in merriment. They dress in colorful dresses and chunky jewelry and sing and dance to the simple joys of life with enchanting Lakshadweep music.
Last Updated on 02 April 2013
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