A dance form essential to the wedding entertainment and festivities
of the Malabar Muslims. Maidens and young female relatives sing and
dance around the bride, clapping their hands. The songs of Mappilappattu,
are first sung by the leader and are repeated by the chorus. The themes
are often teasing comments and innuendoes about the bride's anticipated
nuptial bliss. Oppana is often presented as a stage item today.
This is a popular form of social entertainment among the Muslim community
of Kerala prevalent all over, especially in the northern districts
of Canaonore, Calicut and Malappuram.
Oppana is generally presented by females, numbering about fifteen
including musicians, on a wedding day. The bride dressed in all finery,
covered with gold ornaments is the chief spectator who sits on a peetam,
around which the singing and dancing take place. While they sing,
they clap their hands rhythmically and move around the bride using
simple steps. Two or three girls begin the songs and the rest join
in chorus. Sometime Oppana is also presented by males to entertain
the bridegroom. It usually takes place just before the bridegroom
leaves for the bride's residence where the Nikkaah (marriage) takes
place or at the time he enters the Maniyara.
Harmonium, Thabala, Ganjira and Elathaalam are the musical instruments
employed for this performance. Only the Mappilapaattu will be sung
on the occasion. The word Oppana may have been derived from an Arabic
form Afna. There are two types of Oppana, one is Oppana chayal another
is Oppana murukkam. When Oppana chayal is performed, they do not clap
their hands. If it begins with Chayal it would also end with Chayal
only.
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