‘Arabanamuttu’ is a folk art with a proper mixture of dance and music. .

Arabanamuttu - Drumbeats from the deserts

Arabana is an old Babylonian village and the popular musical drum of that village carried its name through the history. This instrument had been widely played in Arabian tribal festivals with songs and dances. Arabana has a history of intertribal battles as it had been used as warcry. It has been recorded that, during the Abbasid period, court musicians of Al-Mansur had used Arabana in their music programmes. Araban rose into popularity during the reign of Harun-al-Rashid and was inherited by the Shias. It was the Shias who brought Arabana to Kerala when the Adil Shahi sultans were in power in the Decan region. Later Refai Tarriqat introduced this instrument Arabana in the worshipping form of Ratib, to distinguish themselves from another Tariqat, Qadiri who accepted has been using Duff for the rituals of Ratib. Mappilas of Malabar had been having so many superstitions that time and rituals like this went along with it. It was believed that the epidemic of Smallpox, could be averted by playing/beating Arabana up to the border of their village. Rifai Ratib with Arabana beating was performed in order to purify those who recovered from small pox as well.
 
The instrument Arabana is normally made out of leather which pasted on a half meter round wooden frame. Each part of this instrument will deliver different types of sounds. The importance of Arabana is the variety of sounds it produce.The frame of this instrument is made out of different root of woods like ‘Chempaka’, ‘Ayini’, ‘Pilavu’ etc. The skin of animals like goat, buffalo are used for making this instrument.
Usually 8 to 10 persons participate in Arabana Mutttu. The Arabana muttu has two styles, the ritualistic Ratib muttu and Kalimuttu, which is recreational.
The performance begins with artists sitting by bending their legs towards the right and the instrument played by the hands which is placed above the left shoulder. The instrument is swayed from one side to another with the gradual development of the music. The body of the artists will be in movement according to the rhythm of the music. ‘Baithu’, the songs used for the performance is to be learned from a master who is well versed with this art form. ‘Achalmuttu’, ‘Anchumuttu’, ‘Kori muttu’ are different phases of the performance. These lyrics were written in Arabic language.
Earlier the Arabanmuttu was performed throughout a night depending upon the demand of the viewers. But now a days mostly the shortened version with a span of maximum two hours is performed.
Now a days Arabanamuttu is confined to Muslim marriages and some of the festivals. It is a popular art form which is performed in the state youth festival competition.