Malayalam Language

The term ‘Malayalam’ as referring to the language of Kerala is of comparatively recent origin. To begin with, it denoted the land itself. It is probable that the term is the resultant of a combination of two words, mala Meaning Mountain and alam meaning the land or locality (which lies along side the mountain).

Subsequently the synonyms Malayanma and Malayayma came into being as denoting the language of the Malayalam county and finally the name of the land itself was taken over as the name of its language.

Evidently Malayalam belongs to the Dravidian family of languages, but there is considerable difference of opinion about the exact nature of its relationship with the other languages of the stock, with Tamil in particular towards which it bears the closest affinity. Quite a few scholars are of the opinion that Malayalam is but an offshoot of Tamil, or rather, a daughter. This view, first held by Bishop Caldwell, has since been elaborated and substantiated by a well-known grammarian of Kerala, A.R.Raja Raja Varma. The intimacy that subsisted between the two languages all through the centuries, the identity that the grammars and vocabularies of both the languages evince, and the old practice of using the term ‘Tamil’ as a synonym for Malayalam have all lent considerable support to this theory. But in the light of the increasing application of scientific methodologies in the assessment of affinities between languages and the comparative studies since carried out in respect of the two languages, this theory would seem to require further examination.

Malayalam is classified as a South Dravidian language. It is the official language of Kerala. About 31.8 million people consider Malayalam as their mother tongue. Possessing an independent written script, it also has a rich modern literature. There are at least five main regional dialects of Malayalam and a number of communal dialects. It belongs to the Dravidian family. Many words have been borrowed from Sanskrit. There are 37 consonants and 16 vowels in the script. Malayalam has a written traditional dating back from the late 9th century and the earliest work dates from 13th century. The script used is called Kolezhethu (Rod-script), which is derived from ancient Grandha Script. Malayalam differs from other Dravidian language as the absence of personal endings on verbs. It has a one to one correspondence with the Indo Aryan Devanagari syllabarry.

Introduction Culturally, Kerala presents a pageant not found anywhere else in India. The famous pantomime dance-drama, Kathakali, the Sopana style of music, the contributions of Swathi Thirunal and Raja Ravi Varma in the realms of music and painting respectively are some of Kerala’s unique contributions, which have enriched the cultural heritage of India. Kerala’s folk music, though not refined, is rich with a rugged beauty that is really genuine, with its rhyme and rhythm.

These are mostly devotional in nature, like the Sarpapattu, Bhadrakalipattu, Ayyappanpattu etc. The Thullalpattu demands the skill and artistry of a professional. Among the instrumental performances, Thayampaka, Panchavadyam and Kelikottu deserve special mention. The chenda, and chengala are some of the typical percussion instruments of Kerala. Although Carnatic music is in vogue in Kerala as the classical music, Kerala appears to have evolved a somewhat distinctive style of singing known as the sopana style. It is believed that this style derived its name from the sopana or flight of steps leading to the sreekovil (sanctum sanctorum) the place for the ritual singing of Ashtapadi. Kathakali has adopted this style of singing which is low in tempo and emotional in content. Kerala has produced great masters in the realm of music. The greatest composer is Swathi Thirunal, the Maharaja of Travancore (early 19th century) who left a rich legacy of songs in six languages-Sanskrit, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi. They represent the finest flowering of the Carnatic tradition in Kerala. Irayimman Thampi, a contemporary of Swathi Thirunal, was another great composer Kerala has produced. The greatest musician in Kerala history, Shadkala Govinda Marar, who lived during the days of Swathi Thirunal, was a wonderful genius who elicited admiration even from the great Thyagaraja. The dance forms of Kerala can roughly be divided into five categories, viz; tribal dances, folk dances, classical dances, neo-classical dances and modern dances.