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Mappila songs cultural fountains of a bygone age, says MT

Staff Reporter

Jnanpith laureate inaugurates `Vaidyar Mahotsavam'

WORDS OF WISDOM: M.T. Vasudevan Nair, writer, speaking at the inaugural function of `Vaidyar Mahotsavam' in Kondotty on Friday.

KONDOTTY: Author M.T. Vasudevan Nair has described Mappila songs as the cultural fountains of a bygone age. Inaugurating this year's `Vaidyar Mahotsavam' at Mahakavi Moyinkutty Vaidyar Memorial here on Friday, Mr. Vasudevan Nair said the memorial should turn into a multi-cultural centre.

Mr. Nair, however, lamented that a recent increase in instrumentals had turned melodious mappila lyrics into cacophony.

Presiding over the function, T.K. Hamza, MP, said it was Moyinkutty Vaidyar who brought in a system and order to the genre. He said Moyinkutty Vaidyar, who composed the legendary ballad Badrul Muneer Husnul Jamal at the age of 20, was not merely the poet of a community.

Mr. Vasudevan Nair released `Moyinkutty Vaidyar,' a book penned by Folklore Academy vice-chairman V.M. Kutty.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kutty said lack of poets with imagination was a major crisis.

Azad Wandoor, former secretary of the Vaidyar memorial committee and K. Alikutty offered felicitations. Razak Payambrot, joint-secretary of the committee, welcomed the gathering. District Information Officer P. Kunhabdulla proposed a vote of thanks. Minister for Fisheries S. Sarma inaugurated a P. Bhaskaran commemoration meeting.

Poet Balachandran Chullikkad and playback singer Satheesh Babu addressed the gathering. Scriptwriter T.A. Razak welcomed the gathering. Poet Alankode Leelakrishnan inaugurated a musical tribute to P. Bhaskaran.

Seminars on the `Topical relevance of Mapilapattu,' `Past, present and future of Vattapattu,' and `Moyinkutty Vaidyar and resistance to colony rule' will be held on Saturday. Film actor Mamukoya will inaugurate an `ishal nite' on Saturday evening.

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Mappila songs cultural fountains of a bygone age, says MT

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