Folk song or nadanpattu (nadan-native, pattu-song) of Kerala tell tales of the land that have never been recorded. Distilled from the emotions and simple wisdom of rustic folk, these songs have in modern times found a place in the scholar's workbook.

Kerala has as many variations of folk songs as there are variations in the land, climate, people and their occupations.

Harvest songs, Vanchippattu, (oarsmen's songs), fishermen's songs, invocations to bring down rain, Pulluvanpattu, Vilppattu, the Vadakkanpattu or Northern Ballads, and Mappilappattu are all popular folk songs.

Earlier nadanpattu showed the influence of Tamil language. Most of these melodious renderings are over 600 years old and have undergone much linguistic changes in the course of time.

In 'The Music of the Week' we present a rustic folk song of Kerala.