Artists perform Duffmuttu on a beach, singing in chorus and playing traditional Arabian frame drums (duff) under the open sky. Popular in Kerala’s Malabar region, Duffmuttu is a rhythmic art form performed during festivals, uroos, and weddings, as well as for social gatherings. Groups of performers stand or sit facing each other, their swaying movements guided by the tempo of the duff. The songs, often tributes to Islamic heroes and martyrs, are led by a vocalist while others join in chorus, drumming with palms or fingers and sometimes tossing and catching the instruments in sync with the rhythm.
