Vadakkan Pattukal (literally, ''the songs of the north'') are a collection of

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 2 ...

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

s from the medieval period. The songs present stories of heroes such as

Aromal Chekavar Aromal Chekavar, also known as Puthooram Veettil Aromal Chekavar, was a legendary warrior who is believed to have lived during the 16th century in the North Malabar region of Kerala, India. He was a warrior from a Thiyyar community and a paramou ...

and Thacholi Othenan, and heroines like

Unniyarcha Unniyarcha (sometimes spelled "Uñnįarcha") is a legendary warrior and heroine 16th century mentioned in the '' Vadakkan Pattukal'', a set of historical ballads from northern Kerala, a state in southwestern India. She was a member of a Thiy ...

. The stories centre round the fortunes of two families, Puthooram family and Thacholi Manikkoth family. Though two families belong to two different communities

Thiyyar The Ezhavas () are a community with origins in the region of India presently known as Kerala, where in the 2010s they constituted about 23% of the population and were reported to be the largest Hindu community. They are also known as ''Ilhava'' ...

and

Nair The Nair , also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom histo ...

respectively, they share in common the martial traditional. The chief among the Thiyyar chieftains of Puthooram was Aromal Chekavar, who had been killed by Chanthu in his first duel (Ankam). His sister Attumanamel Unniyarcha, is equally adept in the use of arms. The exploits of the Nair chieftain Thacholi Othenan belonging to the Thacholi family form the theme of several ballads. Thacholi Chandu, Palattu Komappan, Putumada Kelu, Karumparambil Kannan are some of the other warriors who figure in the ballads. They exemplify the heights of folk-poetry and are also sometimes associated with deities. Almost all these ballads show strong connections to Kalaripayattu. The oldest compositions do not date earlier than 16th century but their idiom and vocabulary seem older.Sujit Mukherjee, A Dictionary of Indian Literature (Orient Longman Publications, 1998, ), page 406Vadakkan and Thekkan Pattukal.(Sri Rama Vilasom Press, 1967), pages 128–148 However, like any other oral cultural forms that are sung by communities even today, these songs show great flexibility and a repetitive pattern in their lexicon that is typical of the simplicity of folksongs in general. Rakhava Warrier, Vadakkan pattukalude Paniyala 1982 Vallathol Vidhyapeedom Press

References

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North Malabar North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala's present day Kasaragod, Kannur, and Wayanad districts, and the taluks of Vatakara, Koyilandy, and Thamarassery in the Kozhikode District of Kerala and t ...

, list = {{North Malabar {{Places of interest in North Malabar Ballads Indian folk songs Ezhava Malayalam-language songs Malayalam-language literature Kerala folklore