Drumming The Legacy

An Arabian art slowly travelled to the west coast of India. The people who were on the shore embraced it with their hearts. They began to play that in their own way. Gradually, they mastered it and even invented a new form of art that overshadowed even Arabian art. They called it Duffumuttu, without it, they cannot even think about Meeladunnabi

Daffumuttu. credits to Kerala

The Muslim community have always kept different opinions about using different kinds of musical instruments. Even their greatest scholars stand on different poles when it comes to musical instruments.  Scholars who are known as Sufis (mystics) often support the usage of musical instruments. They say that the music will help to make the song more striking to the heart and deeper in impact.

Most of the scholars who oppose the use of musical instruments are those who are more focused on Islamic jurisprudence. They often substantiate their argument by quoting Hadith (prophetic sayings and traditions). But there is one musical instrument that is wholeheartedly accepted by both parties. It’s called Duff. Duff is a round-shaped hollow musical instrument. It has the shape of a half-cut drum and makes an echoing voice.

The story of Duff traces back to Islamic history. It is said that when the prophet left Mecca for Medina for the expansion of Islam, the people of Medina welcomed him by drumming Duff and singing the poem ‘talael badru alaina….’ (The moon raised upon us...)

Participants of Daffumutt. credits: Daily excelsier

Due to the yearly celebration of the prophet Mohammed’s birthday, this poem became evergreen, and the musical instrument became highly spiritual. Islam reached India in the 700s, and many of the followers of the prophet had come here for propagation. Due to the brutal caste system many low castes, people found Islam as an escape for a better life. Consequently, many Hindus began to convert to Islam and the Muslims population grew exponentially.

Due to the direct exposure of the Arabian tradition through the Arab traders and preachers, the Malabar region witnessed cultural transmissions along with religious conversions. Even the acculturation was not as well as today, many of the musical instruments were already boarded the ship to Kerala and Duff was one of them.

The Malayalam word for “drumming” is “mutt”. Compounding “Duff” with “muttu” they created “duffmuttu” which later became an art. Now it is one of the officially recognized by the government of Kerala and it is included in the school art fests.

The season of the duffmuttu is the month of the prophet Mohammed’s birth. In Arabic, it is called ‘rabeeul avval’ or the first spring. Two months before the commencement of the programs of the special month, the professional duff practisers might have begun their play.

Some of them invent new steps adding the steps of the break dances which make it more appealing. But when it comes to the competitions, they are bound to the traditional rules of the duffmuttu which are strictly monitored by the judges who have been the players in their hey time.

Duffumuttu is an integral part of the processions of the meeladunnabi, along with the rallies of the people who would be accompanied by these professional or amateur duffmuttu teams. these rallies are often welcomed by the people of the different parts of the village and to show the loftiness of the family or as a mere celebration, the rich people of the village often give the ‘currency necklace’ to the captain of the duffumuttu team.

All of the members will wear the same dress except the captain, posh dresses are often rented and so many rental businesses are running around it. The integral part is the cap which is also one of the risks for the team members as they must keep it on the head throughout the duff play which might include many acrobatic movements.

The Malabar region of Kerala is keeping the legacy and heritage of this old art. They are the people who come forward with new experiments by blending the different types of dances and duffs. The duff competitions are often tight and rivalrous. The major reason behind it is the month-long practices that will have to do to have a better duff team which leaves every team in a do-or-die stance.

With every meeladunnabi passing, a new form of the daffumutt might have been invented. In some cases, a new form of art itself has been invented out of it like ‘arabanmuttu’. Who knows what this hollow gem has hidden inside?