lakshshadweep kala academy award

ARABIKADALILE KADHA GANANGAL GRABS LAKSHADWEEP KALA ACADEMY AWARD

GRABBING MINDS BY TRADITIONAL SONGS

This is the happiest moments to us. Because this year's Lakshadweep Kala Academy award for book publishing goes to Chamayam Haja Hussain's Arabikadalile Kadha Ganangal. The book is published by Media Analysis and research Center. K.C.A.Kilthani also got the award for his contributions in folk song writing. Mr. Kiltani's works are included in the same book.
Arabikadalile kadhaganangal is a collection of folk songs from various islands belong to Lakshadweeps. Most of the songs are prepared in Jasari language. Jasari is a vernacular version of islanders. To write, they use Malayalam scripts. Ratheesh Kaliyadan edited the book and added brief description of the songs in Malayalam.

The songs compiled indicate the cultural background of the islanders. Islamic cult and believes along with exclusive cultural and social deviations are reflected. Islanders depend the main land for their households and all other needs. To collect food materials and all other livelihood items, they have to travel a lot to the main land. Voyage becomes major issue in their life. Various stories related to the voyages are indicated in their folk songs.
Experiences related to travel include sweet memories, horrible days in sea and terrible waiting for wind. all these aspects are highlighted in ballads of the islands. Based upon exclusive geographical features of Lakshadweep, varieties of rituals are also formed which are unknowing to the mainstream Islamic worlds. Kattuvili is an example. This is a ritual practiced by island women. They offer prayer with song to get good wind. Because then only their men can return back to the island.
Other experiences related to meera( toddy), love, passion and affection are some other subjects for songs. Children who leave island for better education is an usual practice. They leave to main land for higher studies. mothers advice their children. They express their fear about the land which they didn't see ever. Feelings of these unmoved mothers, letters to their children etc are narrated well in certain songs.
Arabikadalile Kadhaganangal is a collection of tears in joy and sadness. Traditional songs of Lakshadweep is the content of this award won book.